phrenetic

[fri-net-ik]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR phrenetic ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective Also phre·net·i·cal.

filled with extreme excitement; fanatic; frenzied.

noun

a phrenetic person.

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

Related formsphre·net·i·cal·ly, adverbphre·net·ic·ness, nounnon·phre·net·ic, adjectivenon·phre·net·i·cal·ly, adverbsem·i·phre·net·ic, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for phrenetic

furious, frantic, frenzied, obsessive, wild, ranting, irrational, berserk, fuming, delirious, mad, violent, phrenetic, demented, distraught, excited, fanatical, insane, overwrought, rabid

Examples from the Web for phrenetic

Historical Examples of phrenetic

Yet here I sit, as yet unimmolated on the altar of phrenetic vengeance.
Hard Cash
Charles Reade
He is a foolish physician that cannot bear the words of a phrenetic or delirant patient.
A Christian Directory (Part 4 of 4)
Richard Baxter
This was very new; it was also very strange what a fascination he found in his phrenetic exercises.
Little Novels of Italy
Maurice Henry Hewlett

British Dictionary definitions for phrenetic

phrenetic

adjective

an obsolete spelling of frenetic

Derived Formsphrenetically, adverbphreneticness, noun

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

Word Origin and History for phrenetic

adj.

late 14c., from Old French frenetike "mad, crazy" (13c.), from Latin phreneticus, from Greek phren "diaphragm, heart, mind" (see phreno-). A doublet of frantic.