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• cacoëthes
  cacoëthes

  noun

  an irresistible urge; mania.
• cacoethes
  cacoethes

  noun

  an uncontrollable urge or desire, esp for something harmful; mania

cacoëthes

American  

[kak-oh-ee-theez] / ˌkæk oʊˈi θiz /

Or cacoethes

noun

1. an irresistible urge; mania.

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cacoethes British  

/ ˌkækəʊˈiːθiːz /

noun

1. an uncontrollable urge or desire, esp for something harmful; mania

   a cacoethes for smoking

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Other Word Forms

• cacoethic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of cacoëthes

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin, from Greek kakóēthes, neuter (used as noun) of kakoḗthēs “malignant,” literally, “of bad character”; see caco-, ethos

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cacoëthes cacoethes

Remember that the slightest act of volition on your part can exalt my pecuniary status to the skies, as well as confer distinguished and unparagoned ennoblement upon your cacoëthes scribendi.

From Baboo Jabberjee, B.A. by F. Anstey

The conditions just now are exceptionally favourable--that is, a cacoëthes scribendi has coincided with abundance of matter to write about, but the organs of the great external world naturally provide a model for the writer.

From Aspects of Modern Oxford by A. D. (Alfred Denis) Godley

It is a mode of paralysis—a cacoëthes tacendi—the one form that malady takes in me.

From Selected Prose of Oscar Wilde by Oscar Wilde

For the Madigans' Aunt Anne was afflicted with cacoëthes scribendi, and was never so happy as when there was a letter to be written—except when she was actually writing it.

From The Madigans by Orson Lowell

The cacoëthes scribendi is a disease common, not to imaginative, but to imitative, minds.

From Methods of Authors by Hugo Erichsen

Most of us suffer in some degree From cacoethes loquendi, Yet some who deplore it at length seem to be Afflicted with ditto scribendi.

From Time Magazine Archive

I do not believe that there are any cases of the cacoethes subscribendi.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 17, No. 101, March, 1866 by Various

But my physician informs me that I have got the "cacoethes scribendi," which he says is as bad as the small-pox, toothache, and yellow fever.

From Doesticks, What He Says by Q. K. Philander Doesticks

Casting my eyes round the circle, I was struck with the singular prevalence of the cacoethes scribendi, among so many men of different educations, antecedents, and pursuits.

From Recollections of Europe by James Fenimore Cooper

We quite agree with Admiral Smyth when he says, "It is a pity that Mr. Brydone laboured under such a cacoethes, as to sacrifice a friend for the sake of a good story."

From Etna A History of the Mountain and of its Eruptions by G. F. Rodwell

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