cacoëthes
noun
caco·ë·thes ˌka-kə-ˈwē-(ˌ)thēz 
-kō-ˈē-
: an insatiable desire : mania
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin cacoēthes "malignant tumor at an early stage, disease of character," borrowed from Greek kakóēthes "malignancy, wickedness," noun derivative from neuter of kakoḗthēs "ill-disposed, malicious, (of things) abominable, (of tumors, fevers, etc.) malignant," from kako- caco- + -ēthēs, adjective derivative of êthos "custom, disposition, character" — more at ethos
Note: Use of the word in the sense "insatiable desire" is largely dependent on an oft-quoted line by the Roman satirist Juvenal: "tenet insanabile multos scribendi cacoethes" ("the incurable disease of writing takes hold of many").
First Known Use
circa 1587, in the meaning defined above
cacoëthes
noun
as in craving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- craving
- compulsion
- infatuation
- hankering
- yearning
- itch
- idiosyncrasy
- thirst
- pining
- longing
- fascination
- yen
- lust
- hunger
- enthusiasm
- appetite
- urge
- desire
- monomania
- problem
- complex
- quirk
- passion
- predilection
- penchant
- predisposition
- drive
- proclivity
- mania
- hang-up
- trip
- inclination
- tendency
- disposition
- fixation
- propensity
- fetich
- partiality
- preoccupation
- bent
- obsession
- fetish
- prepossession
- leaning
- idée fixe
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- indifference
- disregard
- insouciance
- nonchalance
- apathy
- disinterestedness
- unconcern
- unconcernedness