Cacoethes

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Cacoethes \Cac`o*["e]"thes\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ???????? of ill
     habits, ?? ???????? an ill habit; kako`s bad + ? habit]
     1. A bad custom or habit; an insatiable desire; as,
        caco["e]thes scribendi, "The itch for writing". --Addison.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. (Med.) A bad quality or disposition in a disease; an
        incurable ulcer.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  cacoethes
       n : an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action
           [syn: {mania}, {passion}]