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• tic
  tic

  noun
• -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

He has a facial tic that he blames on his concussions and a limp stemming from back problems.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 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

Accompanying that rage was a fresh explosion of ignorance about Tourette syndrome, the condition that caused Davidson to tic involuntarily throughout last Sunday’s ceremony.

From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2026

I supposed this was James, and despite my scorn for Ma’s little ploy, an involuntary tic of curiosity ran through me.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Tourette syndrome is a neurological condition that causes people to make involuntary sounds or movements, known as tics.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

Everyone John meets in “I Swear” is either aghast by his tics or accepts them without struggle.

From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2026

Davidson, an executive producer of the film, left midway through the ceremony and said in a statement he was “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2026

“What are your emotional tics or the things that soothe you or that just come with who you are that actually never change? What has changed was up to me.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026

In the spirit of their shipboard con game, they continued to spin out false histories for themselves, inventing brothers and sisters with plausible names, cousins with moral shortcomings, in-laws with facial tics.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• twitch