Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who drinks alcohol to excess habitually: A dipsomaniac is someone who suffers from an uncontrollable and compulsive craving for alcoholic beverages, often leading to periods of heavy, excessive drinking.

Usage

• The term "dipsomaniac" is a formal and clinical word, often used in medical or psychological contexts to describe a severe form of alcoholism characterized by intermittent bouts of intense craving and drinking.
• It is more specific than general terms like "drunkard" or "alcoholic," implying a pathological, impulsive condition.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor diagnosed him as a dipsomaniac, noting his pattern of uncontrollable binge drinking.
  • In the late 19th century, she was labeled a dipsomaniac and committed to an asylum.
  • His behavior was consistent with that of a dipsomaniac, as he would disappear for days on drinking sprees.

Advanced Usage

• "Suffering from dipsomania": This phrase describes the condition itself, from which a dipsomaniac suffers.
  • He was suffering from dipsomania, which explained his periodic and severe relapses.

Variants and Related Words

• Dipsomania (noun): The condition or illness of having an uncontrollable craving for alcohol.
  • Dipsomania is considered a serious impulse-control disorder.
• Dipsomaniacal (adjective): Relating to or characteristic of a dipsomaniac.
  • The novel explored the character's dipsomaniacal tendencies.

Synonyms

• Alcoholic: A more common general term for a person addicted to alcohol.
• Drunkard: A person who is habitually drunk.
• Sot: An archaic term for a habitual drunkard.
• Inebriate: A formal term for a person who is drunk or addicted to alcohol.

Antonyms

• Teetotaler: A person who never drinks alcohol.
• Abstainer: A person who refrains from drinking alcohol.

Notes on Meaning

• While "dipsomaniac" and "alcoholic" are often used interchangeably in casual speech, "dipsomaniac" historically and clinically can imply a specific pattern of periodic, compulsive bingeing rather than constant drinking. It emphasizes the impulsive, craving-driven nature of the disorder.

Noun

1. a person who drinks alcohol to excess habitually