lunatic - Definitions from Dictionary.com

7 results for: lunatic

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

lu·na·tic

Audio Help [loo-nuh-tik] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	an insane person.

2.	a person whose actions and manner are marked by extreme eccentricity or recklessness.

3.	Law. a person legally declared to be of unsound mind and who therefore is not held capable or responsible before the law.

–adjective

4.	insane; demented; crazy.

5.	characteristic or suggestive of lunacy; wildly or recklessly foolish.

6.	designated for or used by the insane: a lunatic asylum.

7.	gaily or lightheartedly mad, frivolous, eccentric, etc.: She has a lunatic charm that is quite engaging.

Also, lu·nat·i·cal

Audio Help [loo-nat-i-kuh

l] Pronunciation Key (for defs. 4, 5, 7).

[Origin: 1250–1300; ME lunatik < OF lunatique < LL lūnāticus moonstruck. See Luna, -atic

]

—Related forms

lu·nat·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
lunatic

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

lu·na·tic Audio Help (lōō'nə-tĭk) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Suffering from lunacy; insane.
Of or for the insane.
Wildly or giddily foolish: a lunatic decision.
Characterized by lunacy or eccentricity.

[Middle English lunatik, from Old French lunatique, from Latin lūnāticus, from lūna, moon; see leuk- in Indo-European roots.]

lu'na·tic n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
lunatic (adj.)

c.1290, "affected with periodic insanity, dependent on the changes of the moon," from O.Fr. lunatique "insane," from L. lunaticus "moon-struck," from luna "moon." Cf. O.E. monseoc "lunatic," lit. "moon-sick;" M.H.G. lune "humor, temper, mood, whim, fancy" (Ger. Laune), from L. luna. Cf. also N.T. Gk. seleniazomai "be epileptic," from selene "moon." The noun meaning "lunatic person" is first recorded 1377. Lunatic fringe (1913) was apparently coined by U.S. politician Theodore Roosevelt. Lunatic soup (1933) was Australian slang for "alcoholic drink."

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

lunatic
adjective
1.	insane and believed to be affected by the phases of the moon
noun
1.	an insane person
2.	a reckless impetuous irresponsible person [syn: daredevil]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ˈlunatic [-tik] adjective, noun

(abbreviation (usually unkind) loony ˈluːni — plural ˈloonies) (a person who is) insane or crazy
Example: Only a lunatic would do such a thing!

Arabic:	مَجْنون
Chinese (Simplified):	精神错乱的；精神病患者
Chinese (Traditional):	精神錯亂的；精神病患者
Czech:	šílený; šílenec
Danish:	(en) sindssyg; (en) vanvittig
Dutch:	gek
Estonian:	hull
Finnish:	hullu
French:	fou
German:	wahnsinnig;der, *die Wahnsinnige
Greek:	τρελός, παρανοϊκός
Hungarian:	elmebajos
Icelandic:	geðsjúklingur
Indonesian:	orang gila
Italian:	folle

Japanese:	狂人 (の)
Korean:	정신 이상의; 정신 이상자
Latvian:	vājprātīgais; neprātīgais
Lithuanian:	beprotis, pamišėlis
Norwegian:	sinnssyk, *gal (person)
Polish:	szaleniec
Portuguese (Brazil):	louco, lunático
Portuguese (Portugal):	louco
Russian:	сумасшедший
Slovak:	šialený; šialenec
Slovenian:	blazen; blaznež
Spanish:	lunático, loco
Swedish:	galning, dåre
Turkish:	deli

See also: lunacy

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Lunatic

Lu"na*cy\, n.; pl. Lunacies. [See Lunatic.]

1. Insanity or madness; properly, the kind of insanity which is broken by intervals of reason, -- formerly supposed to be influenced by the changes of the moon; any form of unsoundness of mind, except idiocy; mental derangement or alienation. --Brande. --Burrill.

Your kindred shuns your house As beaten hence by your strange lunacy. --Shak.

2. A morbid suspension of good sense or judgment, as through fanaticism. --Dr. H. More.

Syn: Derangement; craziness; mania. See Insanity.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Lunatic

Lu"na*tic\, a. [F. lunatique, L. lunaticus, fr. luna the moon. See Lunar.]

1. Affected by lunacy; insane; mad.

Lord, have mercy on my son; for he is lunatic. --Wyclif (Matt. xvii. 15).

2. Of or pertaining to, or suitable for, an insane person; evincing lunacy; as, lunatic gibberish; a lunatic asylum.

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