IC

¹

, plural ICs.

1. plural ICs immediate constituent.
2. Electronics. integrated circuit.
3. intensive care.

-ic

²

1. a suffix forming adjectives from other parts of speech, occurring originally in Greek and Latin loanwords ( metallic; poetic; archaic; public ) and, on this model, used as an adjective-forming suffix with the particular senses “having some characteristics of” (opposed to the simple attributive use of the base noun) ( balletic; sophomoric ); “in the style of” ( Byronic; Miltonic ); “pertaining to a family of peoples or languages” ( Finnic; Semitic; Turkic ).
2. Chemistry. a suffix, specialized in opposition to -ous, used to show the higher of two valences:

   ferric chloride.

3. a noun suffix occurring chiefly in loanwords from Greek, where such words were originally adjectival ( critic; magic; music ).

I.C.

³

abbreviation for

1. Jesus Christ.

-ic

¹

suffix forming adjectives

1. of, relating to, or resembling See also -ical

   allergic

   periodic

   Germanic

2. (in chemistry) indicating that an element is chemically combined in the higher of two possible valence states Compare -ous

   ferric

   stannic

IC

²

abbreviation for

1. internal-combustion
2. electronics integrated circuit
3. text messaging I see
4. (in transformational grammar) immediate constituent
5. astrology Imum Coeli: the point on the ecliptic lying directly opposite the Midheaven

i/c

³

abbreviation for

1. in charge (of)

Word History and Origins

Origin of IC¹

Middle English -ic, -ik, from Latin -icus; in many words representing the cognate Greek -ikos (directly or through Latin ); in some words replacing -ique, from French, from Latin -icus

Origin of IC²

< Latin I ( ēsus ) C ( hrīstus )

Word History and Origins

Origin of IC¹

from Latin -icus or Greek -ikos; -ic also occurs in nouns that represent a substantive use of adjectives ( magic ) and in nouns borrowed directly from Latin or Greek ( critic, music )

Example Sentences

“The IC Inspector General investigated this complaint and deemed it to constitute an 'urgent concern’ and forwarded it to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees.

From Salon

IC: Go to the front of the line, and live in opulence.

From Los Angeles Times

Theories suggest that rogue planets are more likely to be found in the outskirts of a star cluster, so expanding the search area may identify them if they exist within IC 348.

From Science Daily

Euclid’s view of the nearby spiral galaxy IC 342 highlights the telescope’s piercing gaze.

From Scientific American

Evolved galaxies like our own Milky Way and IC 342 display beautiful spiral arms.

From BBC

Related Words

• chip
• circuitry
• microchip
• microprocessor
• silicon chip