Meaning of the word maniac in English

What does maniac mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

maniac

US /ˈmeɪ.ni.æk/
UK /ˈmeɪ.ni.æk/

Noun

1.

a person who behaves in a wild, uncontrolled way, often because they are suffering from a mental illness

Example:
The crowd went wild, cheering like a bunch of maniacs.
He drives like a maniac, always speeding and cutting people off.
2.

a person who has an extreme enthusiasm for something

Example:
My brother is a real football maniac; he watches every game.
She's a cleaning maniac, her house is always spotless.

Adjective

behaving in a wild, uncontrolled way

Example:
He was driving at a maniac speed down the highway.
The children were running around in a maniac frenzy.