neurotic

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /njʊəˈɹɒtɪk/, /njəˈɹɒtɪk/
• Rhymes: -ɒtɪk

Etymology

Formed of neuro- (“of nerves or the nervous system”) +‎ -otic (“having abnormal condition”). The initial element, in turn, is from Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron, “nerve”). Attested from the 17th century. Compare French névrotique.

Adjective

neurotic (not comparable)

1. Affected with a neurosis.
   • 1902, William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience Lecture I:

     If there were such a thing as inspiration from a higher realm, it might well be that the neurotic temperament would furnish the chief condition of the requisite receptivity.

2. (informal) Overly anxious.

   He is getting neurotic about time-keeping.

   • Template:RQ:Chmbrs YngrSt

     “I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, the gorged dowagers, the worn-out, passionless men, […], the speed-mad fugitives from the furies of ennui, the neurotic victims of mental cirrhosis, […]!”

   • 1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter VIII, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:

     “You did come down a wallop, didn't you? How art thou fallen from heaven, oh Lucifer, son of the morning, I said to myself. You're so terribly neurotic, Bertie. You must try to be less jumpy. What you need is a good nerve tonic.”

3. (medicine) Useful in disorders of, or affecting, the nerves.

Translations

overanxious

• Catalan: neuròtic
• Czech: neurotický
• Danish: neurotisk
• Dutch: neurotisch (nl)
• Finnish: neuroottinen (fi)
• French: névrotique (fr), psychotique (fr)
• German: neurotisch (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek: νευρωτικός (el) m (nevrotikós)
• Japanese: 神経質過ぎ (shinkei-shitsu–sugi)
• Polish: neurotyczny (pl) m
• Russian: невроти́ческий (ru) (nevrotíčeskij)
• Spanish: neurótico
• Swedish: neurotisk

Noun

neurotic (plural neurotics)

1. A person who has a neurosis

Translations

person who has a neurosis

• Catalan: neuròtic m
• Czech: neurotik m
• Danish: neurotiker
• Dutch: neuroot (nl) m
• Finnish: neurootikko (fi)
• French: névrotique (fr) m or f, psychotique (fr) m or f
• German: Neurotiker (de) m, Neurotikerin (de) f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek: νευρωτικός (el) m (nevrotikós)
• Italian: isterico (it), nevrotico (it)
• Polish: neurotyk m
• Portuguese: neurótico m, neurótica f
• Russian: невро́тик (ru) m (nevrótik), невропа́т (ru) m (nevropát)
• Swedish: neurotiker (sv) c

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• (deprecated template usage) Interlingua: neurotic
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

References

• “neurotic, adj.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, September 2003.

Anagrams

• countrie, unerotic