Which term means madness or insane desire?

• A. Sepsis
• B. Phagia
• C. Mania
• D. Ase

Answer: (C)

This question tests your knowledge of a suffix that signals madness or an intense, abnormal desire. Mania comes from a Greek root meaning frenzy or madness, and in medical terminology it is used to name obsessions or compulsive behaviors as well as extreme mood states and enthusiasm. That makes it the best fit for “madness or insane desire.” You’ll see this in terms like kleptomania (compulsive stealing) or bibliomania (obsessive love of books), where -mania conveys a pathological level of preoccupation.

The other terms don’t carry that meaning. Sepsis refers to a dangerous infection in the bloodstream. Phagia is a suffix related to eating or swallowing, as in dysphagia. Ase is a suffix used for enzymes or active agents, not for describing madness or compulsive desire.