Lunatic

Pronunciation: /ˈluːnətɪk/

Definitions of lunatic

noun a person who is mentally ill, especially one who behaves violently; a deranged person

Example Sentences

A1 The lunatic was shouting and causing a scene in the park.

A2 The villagers believed the old man was a lunatic because of his strange behavior.

B1 The detective suspected the murder was committed by a lunatic with a grudge.

B2 The artist's work was often described as the creation of a lunatic genius.

C1 The psychiatrist studied the mind of the criminal, trying to understand what drove him to act like a lunatic.

C2 The novel portrayed the main character as a complex lunatic, struggling with inner demons and external pressures.

Examples of lunatic in a Sentence

formal The psychiatrist diagnosed the man as a dangerous lunatic.

informal I heard that guy is a complete lunatic, always doing crazy things.

slang That lunatic is off his rocker, I swear.

figurative The idea of jumping out of a plane seems like something only a lunatic would do.

Grammatical Forms of lunatic

• past tense: lunaticized
• plural: lunatics
• comparative: more lunatic
• superlative: most lunatic
• present tense: lunaticizes
• future tense: will lunaticize
• perfect tense: has lunaticized
• continuous tense: is lunaticizing
• singular: lunatic
• positive degree: lunatic
• infinitive: to lunaticize
• gerund: lunaticizing
• participle: lunaticized

Origin and Evolution of lunatic

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'lunatic' comes from the Latin word 'lunaticus', which means 'moonstruck' or 'affected by the moon'. It was believed in ancient times that changes in the moon's phases could influence a person's mental state.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'lunatic' has evolved to be used as a derogatory term for someone who is considered mentally unstable or insane, without the original association with the moon's influence.