tic

[ tik ]

/ tɪk /

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See synonyms for tic on Thesaurus.com

Definition of tic

noun

Pathology.

a sudden, spasmodic, painless, involuntary muscular contraction, as of the face.
tic douloureux.

a persistent or recurrent behavioral trait; personal quirk: her distinctive verbal tics.

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Origin of tic

First recorded in 1790–1800; from French (of expressive origin)

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tic

tic , tick

Words nearby tic

tibia vara, tibiofibular, tibiotarsus, Tibullus, Tibur, tic, tical, ticarcillin disodium, tic douloureux, tichy, Ticino

Other definitions for tic (2 of 2)

-tic

a suffix, equivalent in meaning to -ic, occurring in adjectives of Greek origin (analytic), used especially in the formation of adjectives from nouns with stems in -sis: hematotic; neurotic.

Origin of -tic

<Greek -tikos, extracted from adjectives derived with -ikos-ic from agent nouns ending in -tēs;cf. hieratic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use tic in a sentence

Sometimes, Yun has a narrative tic of retelling what is already known from the details.
‘O Beautiful’ is an intricate tale of identity and belonging in a divided America|Crystal Hana Kim|November 18, 2021|Washington Post
Nearly all of us have some kind of linguistic tic, some go-to phrase we probably don’t even know we use.
That’s a Great Question! (Ep. 192 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|September 30, 2021|Freakonomics
Some of them may be … accidental tics that, even if they prove useful for engineering and clinical applications, could be diversions on the road to a full understanding of the brain.
A piece of our mind|The Editors|August 25, 2021|MIT Technology Review
“Wearing a mask means people can’t see my facial tics, and I love that,” said Pietra Pereira, 19, a student in San Diego.
Here are the people who love wearing masks. And not just because they want to avoid covid-19.|Petula Dvorak|March 11, 2021|Washington Post

He reiterated the statements “I am not a politician” and “I am not a political advisor” so often that it seemed like a verbal tic.
Obamacare Architect: I Wanted to Sound Smart|Ben Jacobs|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was asked if he worried that a tic might someday cause him to drop a ball.
Why Tourette’s May Be Tim Howard’s Secret Weapon on the Field|Michael Daly|July 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In 2013, Der Spiegel pressed him on his condition: Der Spiegel: Has a ball ever slipped out of your hands because of a tic?
Team USA Lost, but Tim Howard Is a Winner|Emily Shire|July 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She seemed resolutely on message, quoting Ronald Reagan with such frequency that it almost bordered on being a verbal tic.
Tea Party Tests Its Might in Texas by Opposing Conservative Rep. Pete Sessions|Ben Jacobs|January 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It's a telling tic that we often use "urban" as a synonym for "black."
David's Bookclub: The Warmth of Other Suns|David Frum|May 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But never mind; I cal'late this p'tic'lar pup won't bite; I've pulled his teeth, I guess.
Cap'n Eri|Joseph Crosby Lincoln
Ornithoman′tic; Ornithoph′ilous, bird-fertilised; Or′nithopod, Ornithop′odous, having feet like a bird.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R)|Various
Periphras′tic, -al, containing or expressed by periphrasis or circumlocution.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R)|Various
Plethore′tic, Plethor′ic, -al, afflicted with plethora: superabundant: turgid.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R)|Various
Porismat′ic, -al; Poris′tic, -al, reducing a determinate problem to an indeterminate.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for tic

tic

/ (tɪk) /

noun pathol

spasmodic twitching of a particular group of muscles

See tic douloureux

Word Origin for tic

C19: from French, of uncertain origin; compare Italian ticche

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

Medical definitions for tic

tic

[ tĭk ]

A habitual spasmodic muscular movement or contraction, usually of the face or extremities.habit spasm