tic
/tɪk/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.21 in modern English
5
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A sudden, nonrhythmic motor movement or vocalization.
noun
Something that is done or produced habitually or characteristically.
Example Sentences
- "Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by multiple tics. A tic is a sudden, rapid, repetitive, non-rhythmic movement (e.g. eye blinking) or vocalization (e.g. throat clearing)."
- "Boyle revives some of the stylistic tics which found themselves being ripped off by geezer-gangster Britflicks back in the day, but now the freezeframes are briefer, sharper; the movie itself refers back to the original with variant flashback versions of famous scenes, but also Super 8-type images of the boys’ poignant boyhood in primary school."
- "Patients often describe the need to tic as the mounting of inner tension, localized either to the body region where the tic is about to occur or throughout the body."
- "TICs must be admitted by a defendant in addition to the crimes for which they have been convicted."
Etymology
Borrowed from French tic.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /tɪk/
- British English: /tɪk/