nym·pho·lep·sy

(nĭm′fə-lĕp′sē)

n. pl. nym·pho·lep·sies

1. A frenzy supposed by ancient peoples to have been induced by nymphs.

2. An emotional frenzy.

nym′pho·lep′tic (-lĕp′tĭk) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

nympholepsy

(ˈnɪmfəˌlɛpsɪ)

n, pl -sies

(Psychiatry) a state of violent emotion, esp when associated with a desire for something one cannot have

[C18: from nympholept, on the model of epilepsy]

ˌnymphoˈleptic adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

nympholepsy

1. an ecstatic variety of demonic possession believed by the ancients to be inspired by nymphs.
2. a frenzy of emotion, as for something unattainable. — nympholeptic, adj.

See also: Demons

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

nympholepsy - a frenzy of emotion; as for something unattainable

delirium, frenzy, hysteria, craze, fury - state of violent mental agitation

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

According to Babbitt (1919: 306), the Rousseauist looks for happiness simultaneously in the "free play of the emotions"/"free play of feeling" and--which is most important--in the "free play of the imagination." In this process of collaboration with the imagination, feeling acquires "a sort of infinitude," which is why the romantic is in search of "the thrill superlative"--as can well be observed from the romantic "nympholepsy": the quest for the "impossible" woman, the "pursuit of the impossible she."

In quest for the romantic imagination (I): Irving Babbitt's synthesis

Replying to John Ruskin, who had criticized her using the word nympholepsy, EBB defends herself against recurring charges of obscurity and invention, attributing "a good deal of what is called in me careless & awkward expression" to "the desire of speaking or spluttering the real truth out broadly" and to her refusal to address a more general audience ("the 'stupidest person of my acquaintance'").

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

So Sand flew to other men, who were also cold in the end, and this flight in an attempt to find affection ended in nympholepsy, or the yearning for the unattainable ideal that she was writing about in her novels.

The Romances of George Sand: An Anti-Romantic Novel: Seeking Funding on KickStarter for Publication with Anaphora Literary Press

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.