melomaniac

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*men-“to think”
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromμανιακός
3. Late Latin · derived frommaniacus
4. French · derived frommaniaque
5. Ancient Greek · derived fromμέλος“song; melody, tune”
6. English todaymelomaniac

From melo- (prefix meaning “music”) (from Ancient Greek μέλος (mélos, “song; melody, tune”)) + -maniac (from French maniaque, from Late Latin maniacus, from Ancient Greek μανιακός (maniakós), an adjectival form of μανία (manía, “madness; mad desire, compulsion”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to think”)).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 19th c. One with an abnormal fondness of music; a person who loves music.