maniac
/ˈmeɪnɪak
/noun
1A person exhibiting extremely wild or violent behaviour: when he sits in front of a PlayStation he transforms into a karate-choppin' maniac...
- He is not a homicidal maniac, but a violent, evil man made even more so by his addiction to unnamed drugs.
- I lost several pounds and I looked like a maniac.
- The driver was screaming like a maniac at this stage.
1.1 [with adjective or noun modifier] informal An obsessive enthusiast: a religious maniac...
- I just don't think at any stage they are going to be able to make a credible case that he is some sort of right-wing maniac.
- A night of petrol-fuelled hedonism is in store at Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium on Sunday where motor maniacs can admire a human canon ball, a monster truck, fire stunts and car crashes.
- This was one for the war buffs amongst the motoring maniacs.
Synonyms
enthusiast, fan, addict, devotee, aficionado
informal freak, fiend, nut, buff
1.2 Psychiatry, archaic A person suffering from mania.
Synonyms
lunatic, madman, madwoman, mad person, deranged person, psychopath, psychotic
informal loony, fruitcake, nut, nutter, nutcase, nutjob, cuckoo, psycho, screwball, head case, headbanger, sicko
Scottish informal radge
North American informal crazy, kook, meshuggener, nutso
US informal wing nut
Origin
Early 16th century (as an adjective): via late Latin from late Greek maniakos, from mania (see mania).