Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

antic

/ˈæn.tɪk/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.33 in modern English

Syllables: an-tic
IPA: /ˈæn.tɪk/

7

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Playful, funny, absurd.

adj

Grotesque, incongruous.

adj

Grotesque, bizarre

Archaic

adj

Obsolete form of antique.

Obsolete

noun

A grotesque representation of a figure; a gargoyle.

Obsolete

noun

noun

A ludicrous gesture or act; ridiculous behaviour; caper.

noun

A grotesque performer or clown, buffoon.

Example Sentences

"My men like Satyres grazing on the lawnes, Shall with their Goate feete daunce an antick hay,"
"In recounting the story of Lenny and Eunice in his antic, supercaffeinated prose, Mr. Shteyngart gives us his most powerful and heartfelt novel yet — a novel that performs the delightful feat of mashing up an apocalyptic satire with a genuine supersad true love story."
"The amusement park environment of seaside resorts such as Venice and the antic eclecticism of Greene & Greene's pre-Craftsman work all preceded the establishment of the movie colony in Hollywood."
"Fetch me my Rapier Boy, what dares the ſlaue / Come hither, couer'd with an antique face, / To fleere and ſcorne at our Solemnitie?"
"[…] we all three enter'd the Gate of the Palace between two Rows of Guards, armed and dreſſed after a very antick manner, and ſomething in their Countenances that made my Fleſh creep with a Horror I cannot expreſs."
"[…]a fourth would fondly kiss and paw his companions, and sneer in their faces, with a countenance more antic than any in a Dutch droll."

Etymology

Probably from Italian antico (“ancient”), used to describe ancient wall paintings from classical times, from Latin antiquus (“venerable”). See also Italian grottesco (“grotesque”). Doublet of antique.

Origin

Source language: Italian

Word Breakdown

Root: *h₂en-, antico, antiquus

Usage

Inflected Forms

more antic (comparative) most antic (superlative) antick (alternative, obsolete) anticke (alternative, obsolete) antics (plural) antics (present, singular) anticking (participle, present) anticked (participle, past) anticked (past)

Derived Forms

antically anticize anticker anticky anticly anticness

Frequently Paired Words

ancient Antiqua antiquarian antiquary antiquated antique antiquity

Synonyms

fantastic fantastical grotesque joke prank trick caper put-on

Rhymes With

romantic atlantic gigantic semantic frantic transatlantic pedantic sycophantic willimantic mantic marantic panromantic

Questions

How do you pronounce antic?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈæn.tɪk/.
What does antic mean?: Playful, funny, absurd.
Where does antic come from?: It is traced to Italian.

How to pronounce antic

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “antic”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈæn.tɪk/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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