tic

¹

[ tik ]

noun

1. Pathology.
   1. a sudden, spasmodic, painless, involuntary muscular contraction, as of the face.
   2. tic douloureux.
2. a persistent or recurrent behavioral trait; personal quirk:

   her distinctive verbal tics.

-tic

²

1. a suffix, equivalent in meaning to -ic, occurring in adjectives of Greek origin ( analytic ), used especially in the formation of adjectives from nouns with stems in -sis: hematotic; neurotic.

tic

/ tɪk /

noun

1. spasmodic twitching of a particular group of muscles
2. See tic douloureux

Word History and Origins

Origin of tic¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; from French (of expressive origin)

Origin of tic²

< Greek -tikos, extracted from adjectives derived with -ikos -ic from agent nouns ending in -tēs; hieratic

Word History and Origins

Origin of tic¹

C19: from French, of uncertain origin; compare Italian ticche

Example Sentences

When he eventually explodes into thinking, delivering a monologue of disordered intellectual half-thoughts and rhetorical tics, the stage convulses in Lewis Carroll absurdity.

From Los Angeles Times

Tourette's syndrome is a condition that causes people to make involuntary movements or sounds, called tics.

From BBC

Many people with Tourette's can suppress their tics for a while, but often describe the experience as exhausting and uncomfortable.

From BBC

Although he's long exhibited this rhetorical tic, in recent days he's really outdone himself.

From Salon

Goode shared video of Tonka from the basement with the scientists, who attempted to identify physical tics that indicate mental distress.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• twitch