antic

1 of 2

noun

an·​tic ˈan-tik How to pronounce antic (audio)
1
: an attention-drawing, often wildly playful or funny act or action : caper
usually plural
childish antics
2
archaic : a performer of a grotesque or ludicrous part : buffoon

antic

2 of 2

adjective

1
a
: characterized by clownish extravagance or absurdity
an antic farce
b
: whimsically lighthearted : frolicsome
Gelbart's intelligence is antic and playful.Lloyd Rose
2
archaic : grotesque, bizarre
antically adverb

Did you know?

When referring to one of the grotesques—the fanciful, often fantastical mural paintings found in the ruins of ancient Roman buildings—the Italian descendants of the ancient Romans used the word antico, meaning “ancient thing.” In 16th-century English, antico (itself a descendant of the Latin word for “ancient,” antiquus) became antic, and got applied as both a noun and an adjective in contexts related to decorative art—sculptures, painting, architecture, etc.—inspired by the original grotesques. Antic shifted in meaning over time, eventually gaining the senses we use more often today: antic as an adjective describes the absurd or whimsical, and antic as a usually plural noun refers to attention-grabbing, playful or funny acts and actions.

Examples of antic in a Sentence

Noun we'll have no more of your antics, so just settle down
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The rest of the clip features a montage of road trip antics and coming-of-age escapades, all of it culminating at a Green Day show. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025 The most famous of them, Clay Henry, became a Texas legend for his beer-drinking antics and his unlikely role as the town’s leader. Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Like most sitcom material, the antic is borrowed from real life. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2025 The antic was a first for a sitting Wisconsin congressman. Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for antic

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Italian antico ancient thing or person, from antico ancient, from Latin antiquus — more at antique

First Known Use

Noun

1564, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1536, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of antic was in 1536

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Cite this Entry

“Antic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antic. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

antic

1 of 2 noun
an·​tic ˈant-ik How to pronounce antic (audio)
: a wildly playful or funny act or action

antic

2 of 2 adjective
: wildly playful : frolicsome

More from Merriam-Webster on antic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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