megalomania

[ meg-uh-loh-mey-nee-uh ]

/ ˌmɛg ə loʊˈmeɪ ni ə /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR megalomania ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Psychiatry. a symptom of mental illness marked by delusions of greatness, wealth, etc.

an obsession with doing extravagant or grand things.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

megaloenteron, megalogastria, megaloglossia, megalohepatia, megalokaryocyte, megalomania, megalomaniac, megalomaniacal, megalomelia, megalopenis, megalophthalmus

Origin of megalomania

First recorded in 1885–90; megalo- + -mania

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for megalomania

Beethoven, of course, was no stranger to megalomania, and he even loved to brag to his friends about his vanity.
Japan’s Beloved Deaf Composer is Neither Deaf Nor a Composer|Jimmy So|February 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is not to suggest that Romney should aspire to megalomania of Newtonian proportions.
Romney Cuts Loose O'Donnell, Perhaps Out of Ego|Michelle Cottle|February 5, 2012|DAILY BEAST
It is megalomania and egotism and the pride of the man in the Bible that waxed fat and kicked.
Greenmantle|John Buchan
His megalomania naturally detracted from the esteem won by his piety.
Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3 (of 3)|Charles Eliot

One of the most frequent traits of your crank is his megalomania, or self-magnification.
A Century of Science and Other Essays|John Fiske
Megalomania, the vain imagination of being a superman, is generally characteristic of magicians.
The Origin of Man and of his Superstitions|Carveth Read
His comrades claimed that he was suffering from megalomania.
A Little Garrison|Fritz von der Kyrburg

British Dictionary definitions for megalomania

megalomania

/ (ˌmɛɡələʊˈmeɪnɪə) /

noun

a mental illness characterized by delusions of grandeur, power, wealth, etc

informal a lust or craving for power

Derived Formsmegalomaniac, adjective, nounmegalomaniacal (ˌmɛɡələʊməˈnaɪəkəl), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for megalomania

megalomania

[ mĕg′ə-lō-mā′nē-ə, -mān′yə ]

n.

A psychopathological condition in which delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence predominate.

An obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions.

Related formsmeg′a•lo•ma′ni•ac′ n.meg′a•lo•ma•ni′a•cal (-mə-nī′ə-kəl) null adj.

Culture definitions for megalomania

megalomania

[ (meg-uh-loh-may-nee-uh) ]

Delusions of grandeur; an extreme form of egotism. Adolf Hitler is generally considered to have been a megalomaniac.