phrenetic
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- nonphrenetic adjective
- nonphrenetically adverb
- phrenetically adverb
- phreneticness noun
- semiphrenetic adjective
Etymology
Origin of phrenetic
1325–75; < Latin phrenēticus < Late Greek phrenētikós, Greek phrenītikós frenzied ( see phrenitis, -ic); replacing Middle English frenetike < Anglo-French < Latin as above; cf. frenetic
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.
Indeed, this word phrenetic or maniac is no reproach; it is identical with mantic --prophetic.
From Christianity and Greek Philosophy or, the relation between spontaneous and reflective thought in Greece and the positive teaching of Christ and His Apostles by Cocker, B. F. (Benjamin Franklin)
But those are more bold than wise who deny their existence, and who profess to explain all occult phenomena and phrenetic moral aberrations by physical causes.
From The Expositor's Bible: Ephesians by Findlay, G. G.
Weakly at first he fought off his captor; then, as fear overwhelmed him, he became possessed of a phrenetic energy and struggled with the strength of two men.
From The Winds of Chance by Beach, Rex Ellingwood
This was very new; it was also very strange what a fascination he found in his phrenetic exercises.
From Little Novels of Italy by Hewlett, Maurice Henry
They tell us that, as the disorder proceeds, it eats into the brain; either causing the dog to be destroyed, or driving it phrenetic.
From The Dog by Dinks
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.
