hectic

[ hek-tik ]
/ ˈhɛk tɪk /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR hectic ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

characterized by intense agitation, excitement, confused and rapid movement, etc.: The week before the trip was hectic and exhausting.

Origin of hectic

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin hecticus < Greek hektikós habitual, consumptive, adj. corresponding to héxis possession, state, habit, equivalent to *hech-, base of échein to have + -sis -sis; see -tic; replacing Middle English etyk < Middle French

OTHER WORDS FROM hectic

Words nearby hectic

heckelphone, heckle, heckuva, hect-, hectare, hectic, hecto-, hectocotylus, hectogram, hectograph, hectoliter

Words related to hectically

desperately, excitedly, madly, wildly, uncontrollably, berserk, crazily, helter-skelter, wild, agitatedly, amok, franticly, hysterically

Example sentences from the Web for hectically

  • Eyes that met when commands were given and received were dull from want of sleep or hectically bright as a hypochondriac's.

    The Last Shot |Frederick Palmer

British Dictionary definitions for hectically

hectic
/ (ˈhɛktɪk) /

adjective

characterized by extreme activity or excitement
associated with, peculiar to, or symptomatic of tuberculosis (esp in the phrases hectic fever, hectic flush)

noun

a hectic fever or flush
rare a person who is consumptive or who experiences a hectic fever or flush

Derived forms of hectic

hectically, adverb

Word Origin for hectic

C14: from Late Latin hecticus, from Greek hektikos habitual, from hexis state, from ekhein to have