For centuries, the word" addiction" meant being" given over" or devoted to something. However, the 19th century temperance and anti-opium movements used it in a more restrictive way, linking" addiction" to drugs, to illness or vice, and to withdrawal symptoms and tolerance. Both the traditional and restrictive meanings survived into the present. In the ensuing uncertainty about its meaning, some authorities now wish to replace" addiction" with substitute terms like" drug dependence"," substance abuse", etc. We hope to show that the term" addiction" is too valuable to discard. Its traditional sense designates the profoundly important, albeit sometimes harmful, capacity of people to become" given over." On the other hand, the restrictive meaning refers only to a special case, which is defined arbitrarily and inconsistently. It is outmoded because of these problems. The traditional meaning remains useful, but can be improved by clarifying the distinction between" positive" and" negative" addictions originally proposed by Glasser (1976).(PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)