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English

manic-depressive

|man/ic-de/press/ive|

C1

/ˌmænɪk dɪˈprɛsɪv/

mood swings

Etymology
Etymology Information

'manic-depressive' originates from the combination of 'manic' and 'depressive', where 'manic' refers to a state of mania and 'depressive' refers to a state of depression.

Historical Evolution

'manic-depressive' was used in early 20th century psychiatry to describe what is now known as bipolar disorder.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it referred to a psychiatric condition characterized by mood swings, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

a person who suffers from manic-depression.

The manic-depressive was undergoing treatment.

Synonyms

Adjective 1

relating to or affected by manic-depression, characterized by alternating periods of mania and depression.

He was diagnosed as manic-depressive.

Synonyms

Last updated: 2025/03/04 15:22