antic

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈæntɪk/ UK /ˈæntɪk/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a wild, playful, or absurd act; grotesquely comical

The clown's every antic sent the children into fits of laughter.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a wild, playful, or absurd... caper prank escapade frolic stuntshenanigan

Word family

Derived forms antics

Related forms antique grotesque

Etymology

From Italian antico ('grotesque, antique'), used of grotesque decorations of ancient Roman ruins, from Latin antiquus ('old, ancient'). The sense shifted from 'grotesque' to 'absurd, playful'.

antico Italian antiquus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# antic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈæntɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈæntɪk/

## Meanings
1. a wild, playful, or absurd act; grotesquely comical

## Examples
- The clown's every antic sent the children into fits of laughter.

## Synonyms
- caper
- prank
- escapade
- frolic
- stunt
- shenanigan

## Derived Forms
- antics

## Related Forms
- antique
- grotesque

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: antico
- Root: antiquus

## Etymology
From Italian antico ('grotesque, antique'), used of grotesque decorations of ancient Roman ruins, from Latin antiquus ('old, ancient'). The sense shifted from 'grotesque' to 'absurd, playful'.

## AI Etymology
Antic is from Italian antico ('grotesque, antique'), used of grotesque decorations of ancient Roman ruins, from Latin antiquus ('old, ancient'). The sense shifted from 'grotesque' to 'absurd, playful'. Important recorded forms include antico (Italian) and antiquus (Latin). The current sense covers a wild, playful, or absurd act; grotesquely comical. The wider family includes derived forms such as antics and related words such as antique and grotesque.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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