- Definition: Xenomania refers to an intense enthusiasm or fondness for anything foreign, particularly foreign customs, manners, or cultures. It’s a fascination or obsession with foreign things, often implying a preference for them over one’s own native aspects.
- Etymology and Origin:
- “Xenomania” is a compound word formed from two Greek roots: “xenos,” meaning “stranger” or “foreign,” and “mania,” meaning “madness,” “frenzy,” or “excessive enthusiasm.”
- “Mania” as a suffix in Greek has the sense of an excessive interest or obsession with the subject it’s attached to. When combined with “xenos,” it literally translates to an obsession with the foreign or the strange.
- The term “xenomania” likely emerged as part of the 19th or early 20th-century lexicon, coinciding with a period when fascination with foreign cultures and customs became more pronounced in Western societies, partly due to increased travel and global communication.
The term “xenomania,” with its Greek roots, captures a specific psychological and cultural phenomenon: the strong attraction to or preference for foreign elements, reflecting the complexities of cultural interaction and exchange.
