sic

or sick

[ sik ]

See synonyms for sic on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),sicced or sicked

[sikt], /sɪkt/, sic·cing or sick·ing.

to attack (used especially in commanding a dog): Sic 'em!
to incite to attack (usually followed by on).

Origin of sic

First recorded in 1835–45; variant of seek

Words Nearby sic

Other definitions for sic (2 of 5)

sic²

[ sik ]

adjectiveChiefly Scot.

such.

Origin of sic

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English (north and Scots); see such

Other definitions for sic (3 of 5)

sic³

[ seek; English sik ]

adverbLatin.

so; thus: usually written parenthetically to denote that a word, phrase, passage, etc., that may appear strange or incorrect has been written intentionally or has been quoted verbatim: He signed his name as e. e. cummings (sic).

Origin of sic

First recorded in 1885–90; from Latin sīc

Words that may be confused with sic

sic , sick

Other definitions for SIC (4 of 5)

SIC

U.S. Government.

Standard Industrial Classification: a system used by the federal government to classify business activities for analytical and reporting purposes.

Other definitions for Sic. (5 of 5)

Sic.

abbreviation

Sicilian.
Sicily.

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

How to use sic in a sentence

Leapolitan responded by saying, “hopefully youll [sic] bite into a poison apple.”
Grindr’s Trans Dating Problem | David Levesley | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
“The institution of marraige [sic] is under attack in our society and it needs to be strengthened,” Bush wrote.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails | Jackie Kucinich | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
They mention that a former cia agent and someone who used to work for Hilary [sic] Clinton looked at the script.
Exclusive: Sony Emails Say Studio Exec Picked Kim Jong-Un as the Villain of ‘The Interview’ | William Boot | December 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Then Pascal responds (in all caps) with, “BUT WE DIDNT WIN A D [sic] YOU KNOW HIM.”
Exclusive: Sony Emails Blast David O. Russell For Allegedly ‘Feeling Up’ Transgender Niece | William Boot | December 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
“Bare [sic] with me on vlogmas,” she told her fans in a Tweet.
Meet Zoella—The Newbie Author Whose Book Sales Topped J.K. Rowling | Lucy Scholes | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Title—And next folowyng begynnith an amerowse compleynte made at wyndesore in the laste May tofore Novembre (sic).
Chaucer's Works, Volume 1 (of 7) -- Romaunt of the Rose; Minor Poems | Geoffrey Chaucer
Mists or hoar frosts on the tenth of March betokens (sic) a plentiful year, but not without some diseases.
Notes and Queries, Number 194, July 16, 1853 | Various
sic utere tuo ut alienum non la is not merely a legal maxim, but it is a grand doctrine of life.
Third class in Indian railways | Mahatma Gandhi
Efter hearin' him, it fair knocked the stories on the heid aboot him bein' oot to smash the hame, an' religion an' sic like.
The Underworld | James C. Welsh
Dammit, hae ye nae common sense, swearin' an' jokin' about sic a thing!
The Underworld | James C. Welsh

British Dictionary definitions for sic (1 of 3)

sic¹

/ (sɪk) /

adverb

so or thus: inserted in brackets in a written or printed text to indicate that an odd or questionable reading is what was actually written or printed

Origin of sic

Latin

British Dictionary definitions for sic (2 of 3)

sic²

/ (sɪk) /

verbsics, sicking or sicked (tr)

to turn on or attack: used only in commands, as to a dog
to urge (a dog) to attack

Origin of sic

C19: dialect variant of seek

British Dictionary definitions for sic (3 of 3)

sic³

/ (sɪk) /

determiner, adverb

a Scot word for such

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

Cultural definitions for sic

sic

A Latin word for “thus,” used to indicate that an apparent error is part of quoted material and not an editorial mistake: “The learned geographer asserts that ‘the capital of the United States is Washingtown [sic].’”

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