Meanings
- uncountableMental weariness or lassitude brought about by an excessive exposure to letters, lettering, or acronyms
A case of alphabetitis—or algebritis.
1908, The New England Magazine - Volume 373 more examples
"You handle the alphabet like a veteran New Dealer" — To which I answered — "God forbid," He continued — "If the audience can survive that attack of 'alphabetitis' they can stand anything."
1741, General Magazine and Historical Chronicle: Vol. XLIV Numb. I.Chemists, you see, are also affected with "alphabetitis."
1944, The Rotarian - Vol. 64, No. 1Yet I must not violate the sense of our Aphorism by pretending for even a moment that this puny seizure of alphabetitis is peculiar to our own time.
1965, Robert K. Merton, On the Shoulders of Giants
Origin
Cite this entry
alphabetitis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alphabetitis
“alphabetitis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alphabetitis. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alphabetitis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alphabetitis.
Source: alphabetitis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.