antic

[ an-tik ]
/ ˈæn tɪk /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR antic ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Usually antics.
  1. a playful trick or prank; caper.
  2. a grotesque, fantastic, or ludicrous gesture, act, or posture.
Archaic.
  1. an actor in a grotesque or ridiculous presentation.
  2. a buffoon; clown.
Obsolete.
  1. a grotesque theatrical presentation; ridiculous interlude.
  2. a grotesque or fantastic sculptured figure, as a gargoyle.

adjective

ludicrous; funny.
fantastic; odd; grotesque: an antic disposition.

verb (used without object), an·ticked, an·tick·ing.

Obsolete. to perform antics; caper.

Origin of antic

1520–30; earlier antike, antique < Italian antico ancient (< Latin antīcus, antīquus; see antique), apparently taken to mean “grotesque,” as used in descriptions of fantastic figures found in Roman ruins

OTHER WORDS FROM antic

an·ti·cal·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH antic

antic antique

Words nearby antic

antibody excess, antibody-mediated immunity, antibugging, antibuser, antibusing, antic, antical, anticancer, anticapitalist, anticarious, anticatalase

Words related to antics

trick, joke, shenanigan, caper, romp, dido, lark, frolic, tomfoolery

Example sentences from the Web for antics

British Dictionary definitions for antics (1 of 2)

antics
/ (ˈæntɪks) /

pl n

absurd or grotesque acts or postures

British Dictionary definitions for antics (2 of 2)

antic
/ (ˈæntɪk) /

noun

archaic an actor in a ludicrous or grotesque part; clown; buffoon

adjective

archaic fantastic; grotesque
See also antics

Word Origin for antic

C16: from Italian antico something ancient, or grotesque (from its application to fantastic carvings found in ruins of ancient Rome); see antique