mythomania

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The Word of the Day for April 24 is: 

mythomania   \mith-uh-MAY-nee-uh\   noun
     : an excessive or abnormal propensity for lying and exaggerating

Example sentence:
     The therapist speculated that Sharon?s mythomania, which makes her want to 
embellish even the most minor details of her life, may have been triggered by a 
specific event.

Did you know?
     We wouldn't lie to you about the history of "mythomania." It comes from 
two ancient roots, the Greek "mythos" (meaning "myth") and the Late Latin 
"mania" (meaning "insanity marked by uncontrolled emotion or excitement"). One 
myth about "mythomania" is that it's a very old word; actually, the earliest 
known uses of the term date only from the beginning of the 20th century. It was 
predated by a related word, "mythomaniac," which appeared around the middle of 
the 19th century. "Mythomaniac" initially referred to someone who was obsessed 
with or passionate about myths but was eventually used for individuals affected 
with or exhibiting mythomania.  





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