arithmomania
|a-rith-mo-ma-ni-a|
/əˌrɪθməˈmeɪniə/
obsessive counting
Etymology
'arithmomania' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'arithmós' (ἀριθμός) meaning 'number' and 'mánia' (μανία) meaning 'madness' or 'frenzy'.
'arithmomania' was formed in modern medical/psychological usage by combining Greek roots and entered English in the late 19th to early 20th century as a term describing a counting compulsion.
Initially coined to describe a clinical or pathological obsession with counting or numbers, its meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a pathological or obsessive compulsion to count things or an obsession with numbers.
He suffers from arithmomania and cannot stop counting the tiles on the floor.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/15 10:22