Definition

Noun: 1. A compulsive, uncontrollable craving for alcoholic beverages: Dipsomania refers to a pathological and often periodic condition characterized by an intense, persistent urge to consume alcohol to excess, beyond the point of social drinking or mere heavy use. It is considered a severe form of alcoholism involving bouts of uncontrollable drinking.

Usage Examples

• The character's tragic flaw was his dipsomania, which led him to ruin.
• The doctor diagnosed the patient's condition as dipsomania, noting the cyclical nature of his binge drinking.
• Historical accounts sometimes describe the king's behavior as stemming from dipsomania.

Advanced Usage

• Clinical/Medical Context: In professional terminology, "dipsomania" is often used to describe a specific pattern of alcoholism involving intermittent, intense episodes of drinking, as opposed to constant daily consumption. It may be associated with underlying psychological or physiological factors.
  • The study focused on the neurobiological triggers associated with dipsomania.

Variants and Related Words

• Dipsomaniac (noun): A person who suffers from dipsomania.
  • He was treated as a dipsomaniac in the sanatorium.

Different Meanings / Notes

• While often used synonymously with "alcoholism," "dipsomania" can carry a more specific clinical connotation of episodic, compulsive bingeing. It is a more formal and less commonly used term in everyday language compared to "alcohol use disorder" or "alcoholism."

Synonyms

• Alcoholism: A broader term for addiction to alcohol.
• Potomania: A rarely used, more specific term for an intense craving for alcoholic drinks.
• Binge drinking disorder: Describes a pattern similar to dipsomania.

Idioms / Phrases

• (To have) a demon for drink: An informal, metaphorical idiom describing an uncontrollable urge to drink alcohol, similar in concept to dipsomania.
  • In his later years, it was said he had a demon for drink.

Noun

1. an intense persistent desire to drink alcoholic beverages to excess