Mentionitis
men-shuh-NYE-tis
noun
mentionitis: a condition when someone frequently mentions a person they fancy #english #vocabulary
Etymology
Mentionitis is a humorous English derivation formed by combining: Mention (verb): Originates from the Latin mentiō, meaning "a calling to mind" or "to speak of". -itis (suffix): Traditionally used in medical terms (like bronchitis) to denote inflammation. In this context, it is used metaphorically to suggest an "inflammation" of the mind regarding a specific topic or person. While the term appeared as early as 1954 in academic journals to describe a "textbookish disease" of over-thoroughness, its modern romantic meaning was popularized by Helen Fielding in the 1999 novel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Usage Examples
- —“Ever since she started dating Mark, she’s had a severe case of mentionitis; every story somehow ends with what he thinks about it.”
Fun Fact
Despite being a slang "pseudo-medical" term, mentionitis was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in 2020. It is now categorized as a legitimate, albeit colloquial and humorous, part of the English lexicon.