A maniac is a mad person who is violent and dangerous.
The cabin looked as if a maniac had been let loose there.
...a drug-crazed maniac.
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
If you describe someone's behaviour as maniac, you are emphasizing that it is extremely foolish and uncontrolled.
[emphasis]
A maniac driver sped 35 miles along the wrong side of a motorway at 110 mph.
...a maniac cyclist.
3. countable noun
If you call someone, for example, a religious maniac or a sports maniac, you are critical of them because they have such a strong interest in religion or sport.
[disapproval]
My mum is turning into a religious maniac.
...football maniacs.
More Synonyms of maniac
maniac in British English
(ˈmeɪnɪˌæk)
noun
1.
a wild disorderly person
2.
a person who has a great craving or enthusiasm for something
a football maniac
3. psychiatry obsolete
a person with mania
Word origin
C17: from Late Latin maniacus belonging to madness, from Greek
-maniac in American English
(ˈmeɪniˌæk)
1. forming nouns
a person affected by a (specified) mania
kleptomaniac
2. forming adjectives
affected by a (specified) mania
maniac in American English
(ˈmeiniˌæk)
noun
1.
a person with a mental illness that causes violent behavior
2.
any intemperate or overly zealous or enthusiastic person
a maniac when it comes to details
adjective
3.
maniacal
Word origin
[1595–1605; ‹ ML maniacus of, pertaining to madness. See mania, -ac]
Synonyms of 'maniac'
madman or madwoman, psycho, lunatic, loony
fanatic, fan, enthusiast, freak
More Synonyms of maniac
In other languages
maniac
British English: maniac /ˈmeɪnɪˌæk/ NOUN
A maniac is a mad person who is violent and dangerous.
The room looked as if a maniac had been in there.
American English: maniac
Arabic: مَجْنُون
Brazilian Portuguese: maníaco
Chinese: 疯子
Croatian: manijak
Czech: maniak
Danish: vanvittig person
Dutch: maniak
European Spanish: maníaco
Finnish: raivohullu
French: dingue
German: Verrückter
Greek: μανιακός
Italian: folle
Japanese: 狂人
Korean: 미치광이
Norwegian: gærning
Polish: maniak
European Portuguese: maníaco
Romanian: maniac
Russian: маньяк
Latin American Spanish: maníaco
Swedish: vettvilling
Thai: คนคลั่ง
Turkish: manyak
Ukrainian: маніяк
Vietnamese: người điên
British English: maniac ADJECTIVE
If you describe someone's behaviour as maniac, you are emphasizing that it is extremely foolish and uncontrolled.
A maniac driver sped 35 miles along the wrong side of a motorway at 110 mph.
American English: maniac
Brazilian Portuguese: maníaco
Chinese: 疯狂的
European Spanish: maníaco
French: fou
German: wahnsinnig
Italian: folle
Japanese: 気が狂ったような
Korean: 미친 듯한
European Portuguese: maníaco
Latin American Spanish: maníaco
Chinese translation of 'maniac'
maniac
(ˈmeɪnɪæk)
n(c)
(= lunatic) 疯(瘋)子 (fēngzi) (个(個), gè)
(= idiot) 傻子 (shǎzi) (个(個), gè)
(= freak)
a baseball/religious maniac棒球迷/宗教狂 (bàngqiúmí/zōngjiàokuáng)
(noun)
Definition
a person who has a great craving or enthusiasm for something
big-spending football maniacs
Synonyms
fanatic
I am not a religious fanatic but I am a Christian.
fan
enthusiast
He is a great sports enthusiast.
freak (informal)
He's a self-confessed computer freak.
fiend (informal)
a strong-tea fiend
Additional synonyms
in the sense of enthusiast
Definition
a person who is very interested in and keen on something
He is a great sports enthusiast.
Synonyms
fan,
supporter,
lover,
follower,
addict,
freak (informal),
admirer,
buff (informal),
fanatic,
devotee,
fiend (informal),
fan club (informal),
adherent,
zealot,
aficionado,
groupie (slang)
in the sense of fan
Definition
a person who admires or is enthusiastic about a pop star, actor, sport, or hobby
Synonyms
devotee,
addict,
freak (informal),
buff (informal),
fiend (informal),
adherent,
zealot,
aficionado,
groupie (slang)
in the sense of fiend
Definition
a person who is extremely interested in or fond of something
a strong-tea fiend
Synonyms
enthusiast,
fan,
addict,
freak (informal),
fanatic,
maniac,
energumen (archaic)
Synonyms of 'maniac'
maniac
Explore 'maniac' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of freak
Definition
a person who is very enthusiastic about something specified