lunatic

lunatic
{{11}}lunatic (adj.) late 13c., "affected with periodic insanity, dependent on the changes of the moon," from O.Fr. lunatique, lunage "insane," or directly from L.L. lunaticus "moon-struck," from L. luna "moon" (see LUNA (Cf. Luna)). 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." Lunatic fringe (1913) was apparently coined by U.S. politician Theodore Roosevelt.
Then, among the wise and high-minded people who in self-respecting and genuine fashion strive earnestly for peace, there are foolish fanatics always to be found in such a movement and always discrediting it -- the men who form the lunatic fringe in all reform movements. [Theodore Roosevelt, autobiography, 1913].
Earlier it was a term for a type of hairstyle worn over the forehead (1877). Lunatic soup (1933) was Australian slang for "alcoholic drink."
{{12}}lunatic (n.) "lunatic person," late 14c., from LUNATIC (Cf. lunatic) (adj.).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • lunatic — LUNÁTIC, Ă, lunatici, ce, adj. 1. (Despre oameni, adesea substantivat) Somnambul. ♦ (Despre somn, privire, mers etc.) De somnambul. ♦ (Rar) Care are vedenii; sperios, fricos. 2. (Rar) Fantastic, halucinant, ireal. ♦ Cu idei ciudate; cu… …   Dicționar Român

  • Lunatic — Lu na*tic, a. [F. lunatique, L. lunaticus, fr. luna the moon. See {Lunar}.] 1. Affected by lunacy; insane; mad; crazy; demented. [1913 Webster] Lord, have mercy on my son; for he is lunatic. Wyclif (Matt. xvii. 15). [1913 Webster] 2. Of or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lunatic — lu·na·tic / lü nə tik/ n: an insane person used esp. formerly lunatic adj Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. lunatic …   Law dictionary

  • Lunatic — Lu na*tic, n. A person affected by lunacy; an insane person, esp. one who has lucid intervals; a madman; a person of unsound mind. [1913 Webster] The lunatic, the lover, and the poet, Are of imagination all compact. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Lunatic — ist eine französische Hip Hop Gruppe aus Hauts de Seine (92). Ihre Mitglieder, Booba (Boulogne Billancourt) und Ali (Issy les Moulineaux) hatten ihr Debüt mit der Single Le crime paie aus dem Sampler Hostile hip hop. Die beiden Rapper beschreiben …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • lunatic — [adj] crazy, mad absurd, baked*, balmy*, bananas*, bonkers*, cracked, crazed, daft, demented, deranged, dippy*, flaky*, flipped out*, foolish, freaked out*, fried*, idiotic, insane, irrational, kooky*, loco, maniac, maniacal, nonsensical, nutty* …   New thesaurus

  • lunatic — adj insane, mad, crazy, crazed, demented, deranged, maniac, non compos mentis …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • lunatic — ► NOUN 1) a person who is mentally ill (not in technical use). 2) an extremely foolish person. ORIGIN Latin lunaticus, from luna moon (from the belief that changes of the moon caused intermittent insanity) …   English terms dictionary

  • lunatic — [lo͞o′nə tik] adj. [ME lunatik < OFr lunatique < LL lunaticus, moon struck, crazy < L luna, the moon: see LIGHT1] 1. suffering from lunacy; insane 2. of or characterized by lunacy 3. of or for insane persons 4. utterly foolish n …   English World dictionary

  • Lunatic —  Pour l’article homonyme, voir Lunatic (album).  Lunatic Pays d’origine  France …   Wikipédia en Français

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