English
frantic
Frantic comes from Late Latin phreneticus ‘mad, delirious’, and goes back to Ancient Greek φρήν ‘mind’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφρήνphrḗn‘mind’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφρενῖτιςphrenîtis‘delirium’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφρενῑτικός‘delirious’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEphreneticus‘mad, delirious’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400frenetique
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500frantike
- Englishearliest quotation 1526frantic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφρήνphrḗn‘mind’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφρενῖτιςphrenîtis‘delirium’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφρενῑτικός‘delirious’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEphreneticus‘mad, delirious’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400frenetique
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500frantike
- Englishearliest quotation 1526frantic
Earliest quotation: 1526, [William Tyndale, The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible): “Master have mercy on my sonne, for he is…”
Linked words
through Ancient Greek φρενῖτις ‘delirium’
through Late Latin phreneticus ‘mad, delirious’
Today it means
adj Insane, mentally unstable.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek φρήν / frantic