mythomania

American  

[mith-uh-mey-nee-uh] / ˌmɪθ əˈmeɪ ni ə /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. lying or exaggerating to an abnormal degree.

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mythomania British  

/ ˌmɪθəʊˈmeɪnɪˌæk, ˌmɪθəʊˈmeɪnɪə /

noun

1. psychiatry the tendency to lie, exaggerate, or relate incredible imaginary adventures as if they had really happened, occurring in some mental disorders

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Other Word Forms

• mythomaniac
  noun

Etymology

Origin of mythomania

First recorded in 1905–10; mytho- + -mania

Explanation

Everybody lies or exaggerates at least occasionally, but a person who suffers from mythomania lies and exaggerates to an extent that is abnormal and beyond their control. If they don't get help, everybody soon just stops believing them. Mythomania is made up of the combining forms mytho-, meaning "myth," and -mania. Mania refers to various kinds of mental illness, often involving an abnormal amount of talk or activity, poor judgment, and difficulty separating reality from unreality. Not all myths are lies, but a myth is a story about things that did not or could not have actually happened as told. A person with mythomania has a mental illness in which they habitually tell untrue stories as if they were true.

Example Sentences

“Who has the courage to unmask a liar who everyone wants to believe?” asks the ad for Mythomania, a new opera based on the saga surrounding disgraced surgeon Paolo Macchiarini.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 1, 2023