Dictionary

monomania en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌmɒnəʊˈmeɪnɪə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /ˌmɑnoʊˈmeɪni.ə/ (US)

Etymology

Either: * Formed in English as mono- + mania; * From the French monomanie; or, * From the Modern Latin monomania.

Meanings

1. Excessive interest or concentration on a singular object or subject.
   • It was apparent to all but himself that what was once idle curiosity had become a monomania.
2. (dated) A pathological obsession with one person, thing or idea.
   • “There are no limits to the possibilities of monomania,” I answered. “There is the condition which the modern French psychologists have called the ‘idée fixe,’ which may be trifling in character, and accompanied by complete sanity in every other way. A man who had read deeply about Napoleon, or who had possibly received some hereditary family injury through the great war, might conceivably form such an ‘idée fixe’ and under its influence be capable of any fantastic outrage.” 1904 April 30, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “The Adventure of the Six Napoleons”, in The Return of Sherlock Holmes, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., published February 1905, →OCLC, page 212:

Forms

Relateds

idée fixe · monomaniac · obsession

Translations (12)

nb monomani (an excessive interest with a single subject) · gl monomanía (an excessive interest with a single subject) · fr monomanie (an excessive interest with a single subject) · eo monomanio (an excessive interest with a single subject) · de Monomanie (an excessive interest with a single subject) · nl monomanie (an excessive interest with a single subject) · nn monomani (an excessive interest with a single subject) · fi monomania (an excessive interest with a single subject) · es monomanía (an excessive interest with a single subject) · it monomania (an excessive interest with a single subject) · el μονομανία (an excessive interest with a single subject) · sv monomani (an excessive interest with a single subject)