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• tic
  tic
• -tic
  -tic

  a suffix, equivalent in meaning to -ic, occurring in adjectives of Greek origin (analytic ), used especially in the formation of adjectives from nouns with stems in -sis: hematotic; neurotic.

tic

¹ American  

[tik] / tɪk /

noun

• tics
  plural

1. Pathology.

   1. a sudden, spasmodic, painless, involuntary muscular contraction, as of the face.

   2. tic douloureux.

2. a persistent or recurrent behavioral trait; personal quirk.

   her distinctive verbal tics.

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-tic ² American  

1. a suffix, equivalent in meaning to -ic, occurring in adjectives of Greek origin (analytic ), used especially in the formation of adjectives from nouns with stems in -sis: hematotic; neurotic.

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tic British  

/ tɪk /

noun

1. spasmodic twitching of a particular group of muscles

2. See tic douloureux

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• tics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tic¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; from French (of expressive origin)

Origin of -tic²

< Greek -tikos, extracted from adjectives derived with -ikos -ic from agent nouns ending in -tēs; cf. hieratic

Explanation

When a muscle moves or spasms suddenly, it's a tic. You can also think of a tic as a habitual movement. If you have an urge to blink your eyes, move your head in a certain way, or clear your throat repeatedly, each of those movements can be described as tics. Some people make unintentional vocal sounds that experts call phonic tics. Some tics are completely involuntary, while others are more of a response to a strong urge. More generally, you can use this word for a word you use habitually when you speak or write. If you participate in a formal debate, you'll want to eliminate your tic of saying "um" at the beginning of sentences.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tic tics

Actors in the production lip-sync the actual audio, reproducing every hesitation, interruption and verbal tic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

Goblingate, as it was deemed by one X user, was born, with users posting their own encounters with the algorithmic tic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

Not because of anything dramatic, not because of some special flaw within you, but because you are guilty of the most common tic in how humans navigate existence—turning others into objects.

From Slate ● Mar. 16, 2026

Once he realized Lindo and Jordan heard that offensive tic, he removed himself from the auditorium.

From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2026

My brother, Mundín, has a nervous tic, too.

From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez

Pat’s knack for analyzing the tics of others does prove a useful tool.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

That’s one of the tics that comes up in his legal writings and in his posture toward everybody all the time.

From Slate ● Aug. 31, 2026

Her tics and her Tourette's in general, however, have never been something the pair have really discussed, he says.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

The film charts a course through Davidson’s life from the start of his tics as a teenager up until he was presented an award by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019, another venue where he swore.

From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2026

Far more useful to me, for understanding the tics, pretensions, and insecurities of the owner class, are books and other print-related artifacts.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Related Words

• twitch