alcoholism

What it means

1. uncountableusuallyA chronic disease caused by compulsive and uncontrollable consumption of alcoholic beverages, leading to addiction and deterioration in health and social functioning.

   chronic alcoholism

   4 more examples

   struggle with alcoholism

   effects of alcoholism

   He sought treatment for alcoholism at a rehabilitation clinic.

   Alcoholism can lead to serious health problems.

   Synonyms: dipsomania

2. uncountableusuallymedicineAcute alcohol poisoning.

In a sentence

chronic alcoholism

Where it comes from

1. Akkadian𒎎𒋆𒁉𒍣𒁕 (guḫlum)
2. Aramaicכוחלא (kuḥlā)
3. Arabicكُحْل (kuḥl)
4. Andalusian Arabicكُحُول (kuḥūl)
5. Medieval Latinalcoho
6. Middle Englishalcofol
7. Englishalcohol
8. Englishalcoholism

From alcohol + -ism. Derived from New Latin alcoholismus chronicus, coined by the Swedish professor of medicine Magnus Huss in 1849.