Etymologically
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mania

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈma.ni.a][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmaː.ni.a][1]

Forms

mania f (genitive maniae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek μανία (manía, “madness, frenzy”).[1][2][3] Etymonline relates the Greek word to μαίνομαι (maínomai, “to rage”).[4] The native Latin words were furor and insania.[3][2] Isidore of Seville derives it from madness or fury.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Caelius Aurelianus uses it in his work on acute diseases.[2][3] Köbler names Vegetius, about 400 AD, as its first source.[6]

Semantic evolution

It was a medical word for madness, in Caelius Aurelianus, and Vegetius uses it of a disease of cattle.[2][7] Isidore of Seville treats it among chronic diseases and explains its name.[5]

In medieval Latin it meant fury, rage or frenzy, as Bede's “they accuse Christ of fury and madness”.[8][9] English mania is recorded in the late 14th century for mental derangement with excitement and delusion.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 400 AD – Vegetius uses it of a disease of cattle.[2][6]
  • 5th century AD – Caelius Aurelianus uses it of madness.[2][6]
  • c. 560–636 AD – Isidore of Seville explains it.[5][6]
  • late 14th century – English mania is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (medicine) madness, mania.[2][1]
  2. A disease of cattle.[2][7]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Fury, rage, frenzy.[8]

Word family

  • māniola
  • maniosus

Usage notes

It is distinct from Mānia, the mother of the Lares, and maniae, ugly masks used as bugbears, which are related to mānēs.[10][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  10. ^ Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press