maniac
Americannoun
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a raving or violently insane person; lunatic.
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any intemperate or overly zealous or enthusiastic person.
a maniac when it comes to details.
adjective
noun
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a wild disorderly person
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a person who has a great craving or enthusiasm for something
a football maniac
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obsolete psychiatry a person afflicted with mania
Etymology
Origin of maniac
First recorded in 1595–1605, maniac is from the Medieval Latin word maniacus of, pertaining to madness. See mania, -ac
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But, like every addled maniac, his hatred lacks focus.
From Salon • Jan. 5, 2025
In a subsequent interview with The Times, Pilatus admitted the claims were true.”We are true singers, but that maniac Frank Farian would never allow us to express ourselves,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 27, 2023
“And I’m not some crazed maniac set out to destroy this nation.”
From Seattle Times • Oct. 6, 2023
"He's a maniac, but to me he was absolutely believable," Arkin once said of the character.
From BBC • Jun. 30, 2023
The first staple sends shivers over my body, and I’m smiling like a maniac because it’s just cool to blast a staple into wood with a power tool.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
