antic

1 of 2

noun

an·​tic ˈan-tik 

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

ˈan-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

When Renaissance Italians began exploring the ancient Roman ruins around them, they discovered fantastic mural paintings that they called grottesca (which means "grotesques," a name given to the paintings because they were found in caves, or grotte). Because they were so old, the murals were also called antichi, or "ancient things." English speakers adopted antichi, modifying it to antike or anticke, and eventually any behavior or dress reminiscent of the kind depicted in the Roman murals became known as an antic. Within 20 years of its earliest recorded uses as a noun, antic began appearing as an English adjective. Originally, it meant "grotesque" or "bizarre" (a sense now considered archaic), but today it means "playful, funny, or absurd" and the noun means "an often wildly playful or funny act."

Synonyms

Noun

• caper
• capriccio
• dido
• escapade
• frolic
• gag
• jest
• knavery
• monkeyshine(s)
• practical joke
• prank
• rag [chiefly British]
• roguery
• shavie [Scottish]
• shine(s)
• trick
• waggery

Adjective

• chucklesome
• comedic
• comic
• comical
• droll
• farcical
• funny
• hilarious
• humoristic
• humorous
• hysterical
• hysteric
• killing
• laughable
• ludicrous
• ridiculous
• riotous
• risible
• screaming
• sidesplitting
• uproarious

Examples of antic in a Sentence

Noun

we'll have no more of your antics, so just settle down

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan reunited to revisit their body-swapping antics in Disney's Freakier Friday, but director Nisha Ganatra reveals to Entertainment Weekly that her vision for the sequel also involved a cameo from another Hollywood icon that ultimately didn't come together. —Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 29 Apr. 2025

Bailey, deft and playful, chooses to be his own antic, a droll and often hostile jester. —Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2025

Adjective

The energy of the performances — from Aduba’s deadpan forthrightness to the more antic work by comedians like Marino and Jane Curtin (as the president’s grouchy mother-in-law) — and the rat-a-tat style of all the conversations carries the day. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2025

Thus begins an exhausting, antic season of searching. —Alexandra Tanner, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025

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

Rhymes for antic

• frantic
• atlantic
• gigantic
• pedantic
• romantic
• semantic
• vedantic
• transatlantic
• unromantic

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Kids Definition

antic

1 of 2 noun

an·​tic ˈant-ik 

: a wildly playful or funny act or action

antic

2 of 2 adjective

: wildly playful : frolicsome