What does kleptomaniac mean?
A kleptomaniac is a person who repeatedly steals because the urge to do so is irresistible or difficult to control. The word describes a compulsion rather than simple dishonesty, greed, or a decision to steal for practical gain. In clinical usage, the related condition is called kleptomania, an impulse-control disorder characterized by recurrent failures to resist the urge to steal. The behavior may have medical, psychological, or neurological explanations, although no single account necessarily applies to every person concerned. Outside clinical contexts, “kleptomaniac” is sometimes used loosely and unfairly for anyone caught stealing, so it is best reserved for situations in which a diagnosed or documented impulse disorder is relevant. The word combines the Greek root for “theft” with “mania,” historically meaning an intense or abnormal enthusiasm or impulse.
nounA person who repeatedly steals because they cannot resist the urge to take things that do not belong to them.
- A person who steals repeatedly because of an irresistible compulsion to do so.
"The psychologist described him as a kleptomaniac whose impulses had led him to steal repeatedly from stores."
"She was treated for kleptomania after years of compulsive shoplifting."
"The novel portrays the detective's brother as a kleptomaniac who cannot control his need to steal."
The regular plural adds -s; kleptomaniacs is used for multiple people described as kleptomaniacs.
"The investigators interviewed several kleptomaniacs who had stolen objects for reasons unrelated to financial gain."
A kleptomaniac does not merely want what belongs to others; the defining feature is an irresistible impulse to take it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of kleptomaniac
The word was formed in the early 20th century from the combining form klepto-, derived from Greek kleptēs, “thief,” and -mania, from Greek mania, “madness” or “excessive enthusiasm.” Its development coincided with the modern medical concept of kleptomania as an impulse-control disorder. Related English forms include kleptomania, kleptomanic, and the archaic word clept, all of which derive from the same Greek root for theft.
Related word forms
How kleptomaniac is actually used
The term is clinical or psychological when used formally, but it is sometimes used informally to label anyone suspected of habitual stealing. It should not be used as a synonym for an ordinary thief.
Easily confused with kleptomaniac
A thief is anyone who steals, whereas a kleptomaniac is defined by an inability to resist the urge to steal.