Word of the Day

: July 1, 2008

trichotillomania

noun trick-uh-till-uh-MAY-nee-uh

What It Means

: an abnormal desire to pull out one's hair

trichotillomania in Context

Connie's trichotillomania left her with an unfortunate array of bald spots along the crown of her head.

Did You Know?

The word "trichotillomania" derives from the Greek "trich-" ("hair") and "tillein" ("to pull or pluck"), along with the suffix "-mania" (from "mainesthai," meaning "to be mad"). People suffering from trichotillomania will routinely pluck hair from the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes or other parts of the body, usually impulsively but sometimes with careful deliberation (such as by using tweezers). Some researchers believe that it may be a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The word for this condition first appeared in English around the dawn of the 20th century (it's generally thought to have been first coined in French by a French dermatologist).