frantic

[ fran-tik ]
See synonyms for: franticfrantically on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. desperate or wild with excitement, passion, fear, pain, etc.; frenzied.

  2. Archaic. insane; mad.

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Origin of frantic

1
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English frantik, frenetik, phrentique (the spelling with a appears in the 14th century but is unexplained), from Old French frenetique (French frénétique ), from Latin phrenēticus, phrenīticus “mad, delirious,” from Greek phrenētikós, phrenītikós “suffering from inflammation of the brain or delerium” ( see phrenitis); see frenzy, -tic

Other words for frantic

Other words from frantic

  • fran·ti·cal·ly, adverb
  • fran·tic·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with frantic

Words Nearby frantic

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How to use frantic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for frantic

frantic

/ (ˈfræntɪk) /


adjective
  1. distracted with fear, pain, joy, etc

  2. marked by or showing frenzy: frantic efforts

  1. archaic insane

Origin of frantic

1
C14: from Old French frenetique, from Latin phrenēticus mad, frenetic

Derived forms of frantic

  • frantically or franticly, adverb
  • franticness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012