chaotic

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /keɪˈɑtɪk/ UK /keɪˈɒtɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #12414

Meanings

1

adj
Completely confused and disorganized.

The first day at the new office was utterly chaotic.
2

adj
In science, so sensitive to small changes that the outcome cannot be predicted.

The system's chaotic behaviour makes long-term forecasts impossible.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · completely confused and... shambolicdisorderly helter-skelter

Word family

Derived forms antichaoticchaoticallychaoticianchaoticistchaoticitychaoticnesschaotizehomeochaotichyperchaoticnonchaoticsemichaoticunchaotic

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

chaotic attractor
a pattern of states toward which a system with chaotic behavior develops

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Late Latin chaoticus (“of or pertaining to the primordial state of the universe”), from Latin chaos (“chaos”) + -ticus (suffix forming adjectives from nouns); analysable as chaos + -otic. Doublet of gassy.

chaoticus la-lat chaos Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# chaotic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /keɪˈɑtɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /keɪˈɒtɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 12414

## Meanings
1. Completely confused and disorganized.
2. In science, so sensitive to small changes that the outcome cannot be predicted.

## Examples
- The first day at the new office was utterly chaotic.
- The system's chaotic behaviour makes long-term forecasts impossible.

## Derived Forms
- antichaotic
- chaotically
- chaotician
- chaoticist
- chaoticity
- chaoticness
- chaotize
- homeochaotic
- hyperchaotic
- nonchaotic
- semichaotic
- unchaotic

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: chaoticus
- Root: chaos

## Etymology
From Late Latin chaoticus (“of or pertaining to the primordial state of the universe”), from Latin chaos (“chaos”) + -ticus (suffix forming adjectives from nouns); analysable as chaos + -otic. Doublet of gassy.

## AI Etymology
chaotic is an adjective and noun. It is from Late Latin chaoticus (“of or pertaining to the primordial state of the universe”), from Latin chaos (“chaos”) + -ticus (suffix forming adjectives from nouns); analysable as chaos + -otic. Doublet of gassy. Historical forms in the chain include chaoticus (Late Latin) and chaos (Latin). Current senses include completely confused and disorganized and in science, so sensitive to small changes that the outcome cannot be predicted. Derived forms include antichaotic, chaotically, chaotician, chaoticist, and chaoticity.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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