What does dipso mean?
A dipso is an informal term for a habitual drinker of alcohol — essentially a drunkard. The word originated as a casual shortening of 'dipsomaniac', which refers to someone suffering from dipsomania, an older medical term for an uncontrollable craving for alcoholic drink. Both trace back to the Greek word 'dipsa', meaning thirst, so to call someone a dipso is, etymologically at least, to call them 'a thirsty one'. In use, the word carries a light, colloquial, and often jocular register: it suggests fondness for the bottle rather than formal diagnosis, and it can sound affectionate, mocking, or dismissive depending on context. It appears chiefly in British and American informal speech and writing, often in phrases like 'an old dipso'. Today it is somewhat dated, having given way in everyday language to expressions such as 'heavy drinker' or 'alcoholic', though it survives in literature and humorous writing. Its vivid etymology makes it a memorable addition to any discussion of drinking vocabulary.
nounAn informal, somewhat dated term for a habitual drinker of alcohol; a drunkard. It is a shortened form of 'dipsomaniac', referring to someone with an insatiable craving for drink.
- A person who habitually drinks excessive amounts of alcohol; a drunkard.
"He was known around the dockside taverns as a cheerful old dipso who could never pass up a round."
"Everyone knew him as the village dipso, propping up the bar from opening time to closing."
"In her memoir she recalls her father, a hopeless dipso whose benders emptied the family savings."
The standard plural adds -s, following regular English noun inflection.
"The novel's cast of dipsos and ne'er-do-wells filled every page."
Behind this cheeky little insult for a drunkard lies the ancient Greek word for thirst — literally calling someone 'the thirsty one.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dipso
The word 'dipso' arose in the nineteenth century as an informal clipping of 'dipsomaniac', itself formed from the Greek 'dipsa' (thirst) combined with 'mania' (madness). 'Dipsomania' entered English medical vocabulary in the early nineteenth century to describe an irresistible craving for alcohol. Related Greek-derived words sharing the same root include 'polydipsia', meaning excessive thirst, and 'adipsia', its absence.
Related word forms
How dipso is actually used
Informal and colloquial, with a mildly jocular or dismissive tone rather than clinical severity. The word is now somewhat dated; modern usage favors terms like 'heavy drinker' or 'alcoholic'. It derives as a clipping of 'dipsomaniac', which itself carries more serious connotations of compulsive drinking.
Easily confused with dipso
'Disco' is a style of dance music or the venue where it is played, whereas 'dipso' is an informal term for a habitual heavy drinker; they differ in meaning entirely despite a similar ending sound.