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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Dipsomania

Dipsomania \Dip`so*ma"ni*a\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? thirst + ? mania.] (Med.) A morbid an uncontrollable craving (often periodic) for drink, esp. for alcoholic liquors; also improperly used to denote acute and chronic alcoholism.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
dipsomania

1843, "morbid craving for alcohol," coined in medical Latin from Greek dipsa "thirst" (which is of unknown origin) + mania.

Wiktionary
dipsomania

n. (context disease English) addiction to alcohol.

WordNet
dipsomania

n. an intense persistent desire to drink alcoholic beverages to excess [syn: alcoholism, potomania]

Wikipedia
Dipsomania

Dipsomania is a historical term describing a medical condition involving an uncontrollable craving for alcohol. In the 19th century, dipsomania was a variety of alcohol-related problems, most of which are known today as alcoholism. Dipsomania is occasionally still used to describe a particular condition of periodic, compulsive bouts of alcohol intake. The idea of dipsomania is important for its historical role in promoting a disease theory of chronic drunkenness. The word comes from Greek dipso ("δίψα"= thirst) and mania. It is still mentioned in the WHO ICD10 as an alternative description for alcohol dependence syndrome, episodic use F10.26

Usage examples of "dipsomania".

What compensation dipsomania gave him I know not, but that he did get some kind of wild joy I am quite sure.

She had lost a brother who was very dear to her, and her home life was made distressing by the dipsomania of her mother.