alcoholism
UK[ˈælkəhɒlɪzəm]US[ˈælkəhɔːlɪzəm]
n
a medical condition in which someone frequently drinks too much alcohol and cannot stop easily, causing harm to their health and life.
Morpheme Breakdown
alcohol
ism
alcohol
the powdered antimony, the essence
ism
Etymology
the word 'alcoholism' is a modern compound, fusing 'alcohol' with the suffix '-ism'. the term 'alcohol' has a fascinating journey, originating from the arabic 'al-kuḥl', which referred to a fine powder used as eyeliner (kohl). through medieval latin alchemy, it evolved to denote any refined substance or essence, eventually specializing to the distilled spirit we know today. the suffix '-ism', of greek origin via latin, systematically forms nouns indicating a state, condition, or doctrine. thus, 'alcoholism' literally constructs the concept of 'the condition or disease of alcohol', a term coined in the 19th century to medically define the pathological state resulting from chronic excessive drinking.
Analysis
Structure: alcohol + ism
alcohol (from arabic al-kuḥl, via medieval latin, meaning 'the powdered antimony, the essence'); ism (from greek -ισμός (-ismós), via latin -ismus, a suffix forming nouns of action, state, condition, or doctrine).
Examples
he sought treatment for his alcoholism after it began affecting his job and family.
the documentary explores the genetic and social factors that can contribute to alcoholism.
community support groups play a vital role in helping people recover from alcoholism.