Francomania

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An excessive or obsessive admiration for French culture, language, customs, and artistic traditions
2. An intense and often exaggerated fondness for all things French, from literature and fashion to philosophy and cuisine
3. A passionate and sometimes irrational preference for French ways, ideas, and cultural products over those of other nations

Etymology: Francomania is a plain compound: "Franco-", from the combining form meaning "of the French", joined to "-mania", meaning "obsession" or an excessive enthusiasm. Put together, it names an obsessive fondness for France and things French. The "-mania" element is itself a Greek-derived suffix, from "mania" meaning madness or frenzy, which is why the word sounds more dramatic than a simple liking for French food or fashion would. The pattern is a familiar one in English. Words built on "-mania" such as "Anglomania" follow the same model, naming a fashion for a particular nation's culture. Francomania therefore sits within a family of coinages describing a society's enthusiasm for another country's manners, tastes and styles, rather than describing an individual's private passion.