oniomania (O-nee-uh-MAY-nee-uh, MAYN-yuh) noun
Excessive, uncontrollable desire to buy things.
[From Latin, from Greek xnios, for sale, derivative of onos,
price, + -mania.]
"Usually, oniomania leads to financial problems, such as
overspending on credit cards and bad credit ratings."
Just Ask Us, Current Health 2 (Highland Park, IL), Mar 2, 2001.
Oniomania is another word for the urge to shop till you drop,
habit of the debit, thrill of the bill. According to a pearl of
ancient wisdom, we don't acquire things, things acquire us.
In the case of oniomaniacs, it is perhaps the fun of acquiring
things that acquires them. Imelda Marcos of the Philippines
could be one prime example of this category, also known as
shopaholics, though she could be better known as a shoeaholic.
[Editor's note; Is that where Myron Xenos of The Money
Tree got his name?]
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