hectic
- hectic
hectic (
adj.) late 14c.,
etik (in
fever etik), from
O.Fr. etique "
consumptive," from
L.L. hecticus, from
Gk. hektikos "
continuous, habitual, consumptive" (of a disease, because of the constant fever), from
hexis "
a habit (of mind or body)," from
ekhein "
have, hold, continue" (see
SCHEME (
Cf. scheme)). The Latin
-h- was restored in English 16c. Sense of "
feverishly exciting, full of disorganized activity" first recorded 1904, but
hectic also was used in Middle English as a noun meaning "
feverish desire, consuming passion" (early 15c.). Hectic fevers are characterized by rapid pulse, among other symptoms. Related:
Hecticness.
Etymology dictionary.
2014.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
hectic — 1. The meaning that is now the dominant one, ‘busy and confused’, is fairly recent (early 20c) and has developed in the same way as the figurative meaning of feverish. Hectic was originally an adjective or noun referring to the kind of fever that … Modern English usage
hectic — hec‧tic [ˈhektɪk] adjective FINANCE hectic trading is when a lot of people buy and sell shares, currencies etc: • hectic trading in which 3.1 million shares changed hands * * * hectic UK US /ˈhektɪk/ adjective ► extremely busy: »Business has been … Financial and business terms
Hectic — Hec tic, a. [F. hectique, Gr. ? habitual, consumptive, fr. ? habit, a habit of body or mind, fr. ? to have; akin to Skr. sah to overpower, endure; cf. AS. sige, sigor, victory, G. sieg, Goth. sigis. Cf. {Scheme}.] 1. Habitual; constitutional;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Hectic — Hec tic, n. 1. (Med.) Hectic fever. [1913 Webster] 2. A hectic flush. [1913 Webster] It is no living hue, but a strange hectic. Byron. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
hectic — HÉCTIC v. hectică. Trimis de cata, 11.05.2008. Sursa: Neoficial héctic adj. m., pl. héctici; f. sg. héctică, pl. héctice Trimis de siveco, 10.08.2004. Sursa: Dicţionar ortogra … Dicționar Român
hectic — [hek′tik] adj. [altered (after Fr or L) < ME etik < OFr étique (Fr hectique) < LL hecticus < Gr hektikos, habitual, hectic < hexis, permanent condition or habit of the body < echein, to have: for IE base see SCHOOL1] 1.… … English World dictionary
hectic — [adj] frantic, turbulent animated, boisterous, burning, chaotic, confused, disordered, excited, exciting, fervid, fevered, feverish, flurrying, flustering, frenetic, frenzied, furious, hassle, heated, hell broke loose*, jungle*, madhouse*, nutsy* … New thesaurus
hectic — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ full of incessant or frantic activity. DERIVATIVES hectically adverb. ORIGIN Greek hektikos habitual … English terms dictionary
Hectic — Infobox Album | Name = Hectic Type = EP Artist = Operation Ivy Released = Original: 1988 Recorded = September 1987 Genre = Ska core Ska punk Length = 10:31 Label = Lookout Producer = Operation Ivy Last album = This album = Hectic (1988) Next… … Wikipedia
hectic — /ˈhɛktɪk / (say hektik) adjective 1. characterised by great excitement, passion, activity, confusion, haste: a hectic meeting; a hectic day. 2. marking a particular habit or condition of body, as the fever of phthisis (hectic fever) when this is… …
