batty

American  

[bat-ee] / ˈbæt i /

adjective

Slang.

battier, battiest

1. insane; crazy; eccentric.

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batty British  

/ ˈbætɪ /

adjective

1. insane; crazy

2. odd; eccentric

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Other Word Forms

• battiness noun

Etymology

Origin of batty

bat ² + -y ¹

Explanation

If someone's batty, she's eccentric or a little bit wacky. You might love it when your batty great aunt visits because she makes life so interesting. The adjective batty can be derogatory — as when you dismiss a mentally ill person as batty — or fond, as when you praise your batty English teacher, who quotes Shakespeare while doing handstands. If someone says, "You are driving me batty," it means you're making them feel crazy. Batty originally meant "like a bat," with the "eccentric" meaning arising from the expression "bats in the belfry," which means "crazy" or "not right in the head."

Example Sentences

Kelly, from Liverpool, appeared in 48 episodes as the "batty" Noreen Maltby who was noted for her malapropisms.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

The story “After the Haiku Period,” about batty twin sisters who lay siege to a slaughterhouse, reprises the material.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

“A Working Man” opens with a batty pastiche of bullets and buzz saws, parachutes and cranes.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2025

Escola said their decision to treat Mrs. Lincoln as a batty harridan comes from a place of self-awareness: They know that they, too, are often considered “obnoxious, grating, a nuisance.”

From New York Times • Feb. 7, 2024

At the very last second, just as Charles was nearing victory, the batty billionaire disqualified him on a trumped-up technicality.

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

• nuts
• wacky