English Lexicon

Megalomania

/ˌmɛɡ.ə.ləˈmeɪ.ni.ə/
nounCEFR C2 (Proficient)Top #15400 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    Obsession with the exercise of power, especially in the domination of others, often accompanied by delusions of grandeur and self-importance.

    "His political ambitions were increasingly viewed as a symptom of dangerous megalomania."
  2. 2

    A psychological condition marked by grandiose delusions of wealth, power, or omnipotence.

    "The dictator's megalomania led him to construct massive golden statues of himself across the country."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Coined in the late 19th century, the term combines the Greek root 'megas' (meaning 'great' or 'large') with the New Latin 'mania' (meaning 'madness' or 'frenzy'). It first entered clinical and psychological discourse in the 1890s to describe psychiatric conditions characterized by delusions of grandeur.

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