kleptomaniac

American  

[klep-tuh-mey-nee-ak] / ˌklɛp təˈmeɪ niˌæk /

Or cleptomaniac

noun

Psychology.

1. a person who has kleptomania.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of kleptomania or a kleptomaniac.

Etymology

Origin of kleptomaniac

First recorded in 1860–65; kleptomani(a) + -ac

Explanation

If you notice that every time your friend Sarah comes over, all your binder clips and pens disappear, it may be that your friend is a kleptomaniac. If you’ve ever known a kleptomaniac, it won’t surprise you to learn that the word kleptomaniac has origins that trace back to the Greek words for “thief” and “madness.” A kleptomaniac has a mental disorder that compels the person to steal. Unlike a shoplifter, who will steal an item he or she wants or needs, a kleptomaniac steals for the thrill of stealing, often taking items that have little or no value.

Example Sentences

He is a cat burglar - a kleptomaniac kitty who apparently cannot be reformed.

From BBC • Dec. 25, 2022

I’m pretty sure it’s from a neighbor many, many years ago when I was a slightly kleptomaniac child, but I was a child and may have that wrong.

From Washington Post • Jun. 18, 2022

A man struggles to break the thieving habits of his kleptomaniac wife and restore harmony to their marriage.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2020

The character of Betty Draper in Mad Men – overgroomed blonde hair, mental fragility, love of horseriding and tailored dresses – is surely a copy of Tippi Hedren's kleptomaniac in Marnie.

From The Guardian • Jun. 15, 2012

The door was locked, naturally, but it may as well not have been for all the challenge it presented to a kleptomaniac dwarf.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer