antic
Americannoun
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Usually antics.
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a playful trick or prank; caper.
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a grotesque, fantastic, or ludicrous gesture, act, or posture.
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Archaic.
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an actor in a grotesque or ridiculous presentation.
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a buffoon; clown.
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Obsolete.
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a grotesque theatrical presentation; ridiculous interlude.
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a grotesque or fantastic sculptured figure, as a gargoyle.
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adjective
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ludicrous; funny.
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fantastic; odd; grotesque.
an antic disposition.
verb (used without object)
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of antic
1520–30; earlier antike, antique < Italian antico ancient (< Latin antīcus, antīquus; see antique), apparently taken to mean “grotesque,” as used in descriptions of fantastic figures found in Roman ruins
Explanation
An antic is a prank to the extreme. It’s outrageous, but it’s usually meant to be funny. When the senior class steals the principal’s car and manages to get it inside the gym, the antic may be condemned by the school, but everyone else probably thinks it’s hilarious. The noun antic is most commonly used in the plural form, as in “the coach was growing tired of his star player’s silly antics after scoring.” Sometimes antics can lean toward the not-so-funny side as well. Really ridiculous behavior that is more foolish than funny can also be called antics. Antic can also be used an as adjective, as in "her antic stand-up routine had everyone rolling in the aisles." It more infrequently can be used as a verb meaning "to act like a clown."
Vocabulary lists containing antic
Tricky Terms for April Fool's Day
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Stargirl
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Born in Belgrade, Antic studied law and started working as a university professor in 1975.
From Reuters • Feb. 18, 2022
Danny Meyer, a white saxophonist originally from Colorado, had just performed at an event sponsored by Diwan at the Atlantic Antic, the popular fall street fair along Atlantic Avenue’s Middle Eastern strip.
From New York Times • Nov. 12, 2021
As full-time approached, Raddy Antic fired in the from the edge of the penalty area to put the visitors ahead.
From BBC • May 6, 2016
Antic, who left the league this offseason to play for Fenerbahçe in Turkey, spoke to a Croatian newspaper about the incident earlier this summer.
From The Guardian • Oct. 12, 2015
Well, we cannot turn 'em, It's Jumper and Antic, Tom; we'll learn 'em.
From Reynard the Fox by Masefield, John
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
