pyromaniac
pyromaniac Lexical Profile
pyromaniac Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who suffers from pyromania, an obsessive or pathological impulse to start fires.
"Investigators suspected that a serial pyromaniac was responsible for the string of brush fires across the county."
• adjective
Relating to, characteristic of, or affected by pyromania; having an obsessive desire to set fires.
"The psychologist evaluated the patient's pyromaniac tendencies before recommending a specialized treatment plan."
Word Nuance & Usage
In clinical and legal contexts, a 'pyromaniac' (someone with a psychiatric impulse-control disorder who sets fires to relieve internal tension) is strictly distinguished from an 'arsonist' (someone who willfully sets fires for financial, political, or malicious motives).
• Rhymes for pyromaniac
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the mid-19th century from 'pyromania' (from Ancient Greek 'pyr' meaning 'fire' and 'mania' meaning 'madness'), modeled after 'maniac'.