1
: local and habitual spasmodic motion of particular muscles especially of the face : twitching
2
: a frequent usually unconscious quirk of behavior or speech
"you know" is a verbal tic

Examples of tic in a Sentence

The verbal tic “you know” often occurs in her speech. constantly playing with her hair is one of her more annoying tics
Recent Examples on the Web Never mind caring about any of these characters, a word that should technically be in scare quotes here, though kudos to the cast for being so nimble in switching personality traits, defining tics and signature cadences on a dime. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2024 Each character should have their own unique voice, complete with verbal tics, favorite phrases and patterns of speech. Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2024 The most sincere, uncontrollable, and difficult-to-show physical tic is the orgasm. Ben Croll, Variety, 20 Sep. 2024 All of his signature visual tics are present, from humorously macabre costuming to German-expressionist, handcrafted production design. Joshua Rivera, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tic 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

circa 1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tic was circa 1834

Dictionary Entries Near tic

Cite this Entry

“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tic. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

tic

noun
1
: a regularly repeated twitching movement of a particular muscle and especially one of the face
2
: a particular form of behavior or speech that is often repeated
"you know" is a verbal tic

Medical Definition

tic

noun
1
: local and habitual spasmodic motion of particular muscles especially of the face : twitching
2
: a habitual usually unconscious quirk of behavior or speech

More from Merriam-Webster on tic

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