Addiction
WordNet
noun
(1) (Roman law) a formal award by a magistrate of a thing or person to another person (as the award of a debtor to his creditor); a surrender to a master
"Under Roman law addiction was the justification for slavery"
(2) An abnormally strong craving
(3) Being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming (especially alcohol or narcotic drugs)
WiktionaryText
Etymology
From ; compare
Noun
- The state of being addicted; devotion; inclination.
- A habit or practice that damages, jeopardizes or shortens one's life but when ceased causes trauma.
- A pathological relationship to mood altering experience that has life damaging consequences.
- His addiction was to courses vain. Shakespeare.