madman

American  

[mad-man, -muhn] / ˈmædˌmæn, -mən /

noun

plural

madmen

1. a person who is or behaves as if insane; lunatic; maniac.

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madman British  

/ ˈmædmən /

noun

1. a man who is insane, esp one who behaves violently; lunatic

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Etymology

Origin of madman

First recorded in 1300–50, madman is from Middle English madd man. See mad, man

Example Sentences

“I knew the second that I poked my head up from my exile, I was probably going to be met by some madman charging at me with an ax,” Nuzzi said in an interview.

From The Wall Street Journal

Now he couldn’t help but wonder who exactly was on the other side of his trades—what madman would be selling him so much insurance on bonds he had handpicked to explode?

From Literature

Almost always described as a “disappointed job seeker,” Guiteau was a madman, and Mr. Macfadyen’s portrayal is of both man and madness.

From The Wall Street Journal

Zemeckis, who co-wrote the screenplay with Bob Gale, must have been as much of a madman savant as Christopher Lloyd’s Doc Brown to compress so much plot into every frame.

From Los Angeles Times

It's only the maniacal laughter in the fading bars that suggests this outlook is the purview of a madman.

From BBC

Related Words

• lunatic
• maniac
• psychopath