neurotic en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /n(j)ʊəˈɹɒtɪk/
- /n(j)əˈɹɒtɪk/
- (Southern-England) audio
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.
Meanings
-
(not-comparable) Affected with a neurosis.
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.
1902, William James, “Lecture I”, in The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature […] , New York, N.Y.; London: Longmans, Green, and Co. […], →OCLC:
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(informal, not-comparable) Overly anxious.
He is getting neurotic about time-keeping.
“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.”
1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter VIII, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:Elisheva Lambert called herself a “totally neurotic Jew from Toronto who is doing everything my parents didn’t want me to.[…]”
2002 January 17, Alina Tugend, “Reaching Out, With Cheek, to Young Jewish Readers”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Jan 2023:“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,[…]!”
1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VI, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
- (not-comparable) Useful in disorders of, or affecting, the nerves.
Deriveds
postneurotic · neuroticize · trophoneurotic · neuroticism · neuroticization · nonneurotic · psychoneurotic · angioneurotic · cardioneurotic · neurotically · unneurotic · antineurotic · hyperneurotic
Translations (22)
lv neirotisks (overanxious) · cs neurotický (overanxious) · fi neuroottinen (overanxious) · hu neurotikus (overanxious) · fr névrotique (overanxious) · pt neurótico (overanxious) · bg невротичен (overanxious) · nl neurotisch (overanxious) · es neurótico (overanxious) · uk невроти́чний (overanxious) · pl neurotyczny (overanxious) · gl neurótico (overanxious) · be неўраты́чны (overanxious) · ca neuròtic (overanxious) · el νευρωτικός (overanxious) · da neurotisk (overanxious) · sv neurotisk (overanxious) · ru невроти́ческий (overanxious) · ja 神経質過ぎ (overanxious) · de neurotisch (overanxious) · ast neuróticu (overanxious) · fr psychotique (overanxious)