frenetic
/fɹəˈnɛt.ɪk/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.68 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
One who is frenetic.
Example Sentences
- "After a week of working at a frenetic pace, she was ready for Saturday."
Etymology
From Middle English frenetik (also frentik, frentyk, frantike > modern English frantic), from Old French frenetike, from Latin phreneticus, from Ancient Greek φρενητικός (phrenētikós, “delirious”), from φρενῖτις (phrenîtis, “delirium”), from φρήν (phrḗn, “mind”). Doublet of frantic and phrenitic. Etymologically, initial stress would be expected (compare the syncopic form phrentic); the modern pronunciation with stress on the second syllable is due to the influence of other words ending in -etic such as phonetic and sympathetic.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: frenetik
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /fɹəˈnɛt.ɪk/
- British English: /fɹəˈnɛt.ɪk/
Usage
Inflected Forms
more frenetic (comparative)
most frenetic (superlative)
phrenetic (alternative, archaic)
phrenetick (alternative, obsolete)
phrentic (alternative, obsolete)
phrentick (alternative, obsolete)
frenetics (plural)