Word of the Day

: March 12, 2015

mythomania

noun mith-uh-MAY-nee-uh

What It Means

: an excessive or abnormal propensity for lying and exaggerating

mythomania in Context

The idea of trust is an important theme in the book; the reader is never sure of the extent of the protagonist's mythomania.

"The pathological liar … cannot help lying, even when the lie causes harm. It is this aspect of mythomania that distinguishes it as an illness rather than a habit." - Gloria Wall, Journal Review (Crawfordsville, Indiana), April 27, 2012

Did You Know?

We wouldn't lie to you about the history of mythomania. It comes from two ancient roots, the Greek mythos (meaning "myth") and the Late Latin mania (meaning "insanity marked by uncontrolled emotion or excitement"). One myth about mythomania is that it's a very old word; actually, the earliest known uses of the term date only from the beginning of the 20th century. It was predated by a related word, mythomaniac, which appeared around the middle of the 19th century. Mythomaniac initially referred to someone who was obsessed with or passionate about myths, but it was eventually used for individuals affected with or exhibiting mythomania.