Word of the Day – Tarantism

Tarantism (noun)

taran-tiz-m

A psychological illness characterized by an extreme impulse to dance, prevalent in southern Italy from the 15th to the 17th century, and widely believed at the time to be caused by the bite of a tarantula. In more modern times used to describe an urge to dance to overcome melancholy.

From the seaport Taranto, which the Tarantula is also named after.

Example sentences

“He hasn’t sat down all night, it’s a serious case of tarantism I think”