Cyclothymiac

/ˌsaɪkloʊˈθaɪmiæk/ adjective

Definition

Relating to cyclothymia, a mild mood disorder characterized by alternating periods of elevated and depressed mood.

Etymology

From Greek 'kyklos' (circle) + 'thymos' (spirit/mood) + '-iac' (relating to). This psychiatric term emerged in the late 19th century to describe cycling mood patterns.

Kelly Says

The word literally means 'circling mood'—people with cyclothymia experience mood swings like a wheel going around, but milder than bipolar disorder, and it's been recognized since ancient times!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.