antic

[ an-tik ]

See synonyms for antic on Thesaurus.com

noun

Usually antics.
- a playful trick or prank; caper.
- a grotesque, fantastic, or ludicrous gesture, act, or posture.
Archaic.
- an actor in a grotesque or ridiculous presentation.
- a buffoon; clown.

Obsolete.
- a grotesque theatrical presentation; ridiculous interlude.
- a grotesque or fantastic sculptured figure, as a gargoyle.

adjective

ludicrous; funny.
fantastic; odd; grotesque: an antic disposition.

verb (used without object),an·ticked, an·tick·ing.

Obsolete. to perform antics; caper.

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

Other words from antic

an·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Words that may be confused with antic

antic , antique

Words Nearby antic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use antic in a sentence

Berlusconi repeated the antic in the afternoon in the lower house of Parliament, this time to jeers from fellow politicians.
Silvio Berlusconi: The Joker Is Back | Barbie Latza Nadeau | December 6, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
It was antic, manic, magical, and mischievous—and thoroughly British.
Olympics Opening-Ceremonies Review: Hats Off, Danny Boy | Simon Schama | July 29, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
It has been left to Michael Moore, in his usual antic, flawed way, to enact a theatrical liberal insurgency.
Why Mouthing Off Is All the Rage | Tina Brown | September 21, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
The novel has the antic pace and madcap humor of a Hollywood-ready screenplay— Meet the Parents meets Garden State or something.
Summer of Our White Male Discontent | Taylor Antrim | August 4, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
At British festivals our predecessors used to antic in the guise of a bull, and the bull-headed actor was entitled “The Broad”.
Archaic England | Harold Bayley

If a discovery in science is announced, he will execute you an antic upon it before it gets fairly cold.
The Fiend's Delight | Dod Grile
I gritted my teeth at him, danced up and down, screaming an incoherent mockery and making antic faces.
Before Adam | Jack London
Nor need one necessarily play an absurd antic to be natural.
Hints to Pilgrims | Charles Stephen Brooks
Her laugh, at some clumsy antic of Leonidas or some word of mine, rang again and again through the solitude of our hiding place.
I Walked in Arden | Jack Crawford

British Dictionary definitions for antic

antic

/ (ˈæntɪk) /

noun

archaic an actor in a ludicrous or grotesque part; clown; buffoon

adjective

archaic fantastic; grotesque

Origin of antic

C16: from Italian antico something ancient, or grotesque (from its application to fantastic carvings found in ruins of ancient Rome); see antique

See also antics

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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