lunatic

[loo-nuh-tik]

noun

1. (no longer in technical use; now considered offensive) an insane person.

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

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

adjective

1. (no longer in technical use; now considered offensive) insane.

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

3. Older Use.,  designated for or used by the insane.

   a lunatic asylum.

4. gaily or lightheartedly mad, frivolous, eccentric, etc..

   She has a lunatic charm that is quite engaging.

lunatic

/ ˈluːnətɪk /

adjective

1. an archaic word for insane

2. foolish; eccentric; crazy

noun

1. a person who is insane

Other Word Forms

• lunatically adverb
• half-lunatic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lunatic¹

1250–1300; Middle English lunatik, from Old French lunatique, from Late Latin lūnāticus “moonstruck.” See Luna, -tic ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of lunatic¹

C13 (adj) via Old French from Late Latin lūnāticus crazy, moonstruck, from Latin lūna moon

Example Sentences

As well has his colourful remarks to me on the phone during our recent interview, the US President has variously called judges "crooked", "monsters", "deranged", "lunatics", "USA hating", and "radical left".

From BBC

"These are radical left lunatics that you're dealing with," he said.

From Salon

Trump can rail against the lunatic radical left for the scourge of illegal immigration, but the statement that “employers are ready to hire them” couldn’t be more true.

From Los Angeles Times

Load up those rockets with political enemies, lying news media, the bad hombres and lunatic judges.

From Los Angeles Times

"Some unhinged lunatic, a man, wearing daisy dukes, at a makeup store, got in my face today. Dems are nuts. So I went off - and I won’t be backing down," she captioned the post.

From Salon

Related Words

• crazed 
• cuckoo 
• maniacal