-ac

An individual who suffers from uncontrolled bleeding: When Tom discovered from his doctor that he was a haemophiliac, he also found out that this hereditary ailment was usually passed down from mother to son.

The excessive loss of blood that occurs after a surgery or after an injury is caused by an insufficiency of clotting factors.

Referring to or happening near the sun: A heliac, or heliacal, condition in the sky occurs when a star rises and sets before it is invisible due to its conjunction with the sun.

An individual with an abnormal and excessive interest in and fear of disease, especially people who are otherwise healthy: Jane often complained about feeling ill, told her friends, and often went to the doctors, but they could never find anything causing the pain and diagnosed her as being a hypochondriac.
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Relating to or near one of the three bones near the hipbone: While studying medicine, June learned that the three iliac arteries were located in the area of the ilium in the pelvis.

The chronic inability to fall asleep or to remain asleep for an adequate length of time: Janet had insomniac problems regarding sleeping at night because she was constantly haunted by the fact that she couldn't pay back her loan debts.
2. A person who cannot sleep even when he or she is sleepy: Being an insomniac, and so not being able to go to sleep even when he tried to, Harvey decided to go to the bank and seek financial help to solve his payment problems because they were constantly on his mind.

1. Considered an “obsolete” term for a mentally ill or disturbed person: A maniac can also be described as a lunatic, a deranged person, a psychopath, a madman, or a madwoman.
2. Someone who suffers from, or who has, a mental derangement: A maniac is characterized by great excitement, delusions and hallucinations and, in extreme stages, by great violence.

A person who experiences a psychological depression: Some older people who live alone tend to become melancholiacs when the seasons turn to fall and winter, when the days are dark and dreary, and when they don't have any relatives or friends who come and visit.

One who has an abnormal fear of something: Roy was considered to be a phobiac because he never wanted to open doors with his hands, or have people shake his hands.

Relating to the intonational and rhythmic feature of a language; prosodical: Albert was a bit old-fashioned and wanted to write a poem with great prosodiac aspects to impress his love!

A verse of an Ancient Greek processional hymn involving an enoplion succeeded by a long or short syllable: In Peter's class at school, Mrs. Smart explained to her English class how prosodiacs were written.

1. Concerning the lungs: In his physical examination, Dr. Thompson said that the pulmoniac veins were free and normal.
2. Regarding a speech sound; Pulmoniac tones in a language are produced by pressing air from or into the lungs.

A person who has an uncontrollable impulse, or urge, to start fires: The judge sentenced Sam, who was identified as a pyromaniac, to house arrest with a surveillance bracelet to track and restrict his activities in case he were to have a compulsion to ignite anything. © ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more Mickey Bach illustrations.

The part of the skeletal system that includes the bones of the pelvic area and their associated ligaments: Wearing a special brace for his sacroiliac provided some comfort for Tommy when he was walking.

A meeting or conference for the discussion of a topic or special subject: A symposiac used to be a convivial meeting for drinking, music, and intellectual discussion among the ancient Greeks.

At the symposiac, or symposium, the audience is made up of the participants who make presentations and at which there is also a banquet.

Relating to a congress or meeting; symposial: The friends met early in the day in order to discuss the symposiac points of interest which were to be talked about later among the participants.