[syn: dipsomania, alcoholism, potomania]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
alcoholism \al"co*hol*ism\ ([a^]l"k[-o]*h[o^]l*[i^]z'm), n. [Cf.
F. alcoolisme.]
1. (Med.) Chronic excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages
that leads to social, occupational, psychological and
physiological problems.
[AS]
2. (Med.) Psychological and physiological dependence on
alcohol; sudden cessation of drinking may lead to
withdrawal symptoms.
[AS + PJC]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
alcoholism
n 1: habitual intoxication; prolonged and excessive intake of
alcoholic drinks leading to a breakdown in health and an
addiction to alcohol such that abrupt deprivation leads to
severe withdrawal symptoms [syn: alcoholism, alcohol
addiction, inebriation, drunkenness]
2: an intense persistent desire to drink alcoholic beverages to
excess [syn: dipsomania, alcoholism, potomania]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
37 Moby Thesaurus words for "alcoholism":
a habit, acquired tolerance, acute alcoholism, addictedness,
addiction, alcoholic addiction, alcoholic psychosis,
amphetamine withdrawal symptoms, barbiturate addiction,
barbiturism, bottle nose, chain smoking, chronic alcoholism,
cocainism, crash, craving, delirium tremens, dependence,
dipsomania, drug addiction, drug culture, drug dependence,
ebriosity, grog blossom, habitual drunkenness, habituation,
heavy drinking, nicotine addiction, oenomania, oinomania,
pathological drunkenness, physical dependence, problem drinking,
psychological dependence, tolerance, withdrawal sickness,
withdrawal symptoms