in·sane

[in-seyn]
adjective
1.
not sane; not of sound mind; mentally deranged.
2.
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a person who is mentally deranged: insane actions; an insane asylum.
3.
utterly senseless: an insane plan.

Origin:
1550–60; < Latin insānus. See in-3, sane

in·sane·ly, adverb
in·sane·ness, noun
pseu·do·in·sane, adjective


1. demented; lunatic, crazed, crazy; maniacal. 3. foolish, irrational. See mad.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To insane
00:10
Insane is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
Collins
World English Dictionary
insane (ɪnˈseɪn) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  a.  mentally deranged; crazy; of unsound mind
 b.  (as collective noun; preceded by the): the insane
2.  characteristic of a person of unsound mind: an insane stare
3.  irresponsible; very foolish; stupid
 
in'sanely
 
adv
 
in'saneness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

insane
1560, from L. insanus "mad, insane, outrageous, excessive, extravagant," from in- "not" + sanus (see sane). Originally only of persons; of actions, from 1842. Cf. lunatic; and It. pazzo "insane," originally a euphemism, from L. patiens "suffering."
Ger. verrückt, lit. pp. of verrücken "to displace," "applied to the brain as to a clock that is 'out of order' " [Buck].
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

insane in·sane (ĭn-sān')
adj.
Of, exhibiting, or afflicted with insanity.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Maybe vibrations in the trucks that transport bees across the country are
  driving the little buzzers insane.
German cars are mostly maintenance nightmares but have insane performance.
The good doctor is also completely insane if he actually thinks that all these
  students gave up their cell phones.
The insane naivete of thinking questionnaires actually represent reality is
  what is amazing.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature