lunatic

[ loo-nuh-tik ]
/ ˈlu nə tɪk /

noun

(no longer in technical use; now considered offensive) an insane person.
a person whose actions and manner are marked by extreme eccentricity or recklessness.
a person legally declared to be of unsound mind and who therefore is not held capable or responsible before the law: a former legal term.

adjective Also lu·nat·i·cal [loo-nat-i-kuh l] /luˈnæt ɪ kəl/ (for defs 4, 5, 7).

Origin of lunatic

1250–1300; Middle English lunatik, from Old French lunatique, from Late Latin lūnāticus “moonstruck.” See Luna, -tic

OTHER WORDS FROM lunatic

lu·nat·i·cal·ly, adverb half-lu·na·tic, adjective

Words nearby lunatic

lunar year, lunarian, lunarscape, lunate, lunate bone, lunatic, lunatic asylum, lunatic fringe, lunation, lunch, lunch counter

Example sentences from the Web for lunatical

  • Silly fancies, lunatical, astrological, were not much in his line.

    Angelot |Eleanor Price

British Dictionary definitions for lunatical

lunatic
/ (ˈluːnətɪk) /

adjective Also (rarely): lunatical (luːˈnætɪkəl)

an archaic word for insane
foolish; eccentric; crazy

noun

a person who is insane

Derived forms of lunatic

lunatically, adverb

Word Origin for lunatic

C13 (adj) via Old French from Late Latin lūnāticus crazy, moonstruck, from Latin lūna moon