Subscribe- monomania
- n. excessive concentration of interest upon one particular subject or idea
The etymology of this word isn’t difficult to figure out: mono- is a Greek prefix meaning “one” (literally, “alone”), and -mania is a Greek suffix meaning “intense enthusiasm for” (literally, “madness,” and its negative connotations were easily seen in forms like “kleptomania” or “nymphomania,” before the term was defanged by media and marketers).
I like it simply because it seems like a cool word I could use often. When I’m working on a project, for instance, I tend to work up a monomaniacal drive to squash its bugs and get it perfect. You might call me a monomaniac.
Ellen
/ Thursday, November 16th, 2006I always get a warm yummy feeling when I both know the word and have used it (monomaniacal bastard is a way cool insult…)
howard
/ Friday, November 17th, 2006You mean it’s got nothing to do with unhealthy obsessions toward Epstein-Barr?