Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
Manhattanize
manhaul
manhole
manhood
manhood suffrage
manhunt
-mania
mania
maniac
maniacal
manic
manic-depressive
manic-depressive disorder
Manichaeism
manicotti
manicou
manicure
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "maniac" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

maniac

ma·ni·ac [ máynee àk ]


noun  (plural ma·ni·acs)
Definition:
 
1. offensive term: an offensive term for somebody who behaves in such an uncontrolled manner as to appear to be affected by mania

2. enthusiast: somebody who is obsessively interested in or enthusiastic about something

3. offensive term: an offensive term for somebody affected by mania



adjective 
Definition:
 
psychiatry  ( offensive )
Same as  maniacal (sense 2)


[Late 16th century. Via late Latin maniacus< late Greek maniakos< mania (see mania)]
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
Shopping
© 2009 Microsoft