rareemotionspsychology
Cacoethes
kak-oh-EE-theez
noun
An irresistible urge or compulsion to do something inadvisable or unwise. Often used in the phrase "cacoethes scribendi" (an insatiable urge to write).
Etymology
From Latin *cacoēthes*, borrowed from Greek *κακοήθης* (kakoēthēs), from *κακός* (kakos) meaning "bad" and *ἦθος* (ēthos) meaning "character" or "habit." Originally used in medicine to describe a malignant condition.
Usage Examples
- —“She had a cacoethes for buying vintage books she'd never read.”
- —“His cacoethes scribendi kept him up until 3 AM every night.”
- —“Despite knowing better, his cacoethes for extreme sports led him to another bungee jump.”
Fun Fact
The Roman poet Juvenal coined the famous phrase "tenet insanabile multos scribendi cacoethes" — "the incurable itch to write afflicts many." Writers have been using this as an excuse for their compulsive writing ever since!