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neurotic

adj
/n(j)ʊəˈɹɒtɪk/

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.

  1. borrowed from νεῦρον

Definitions

  1. 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.

  2. 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.”

  3. Useful in disorders of, or affecting, the nerves.

  4. ›+ 2 more definitions

    1. A person who has a neurosis.

    2. A crazy person.

      • Drag this neurotic to hysterics, leave him balked and unfulfilled; holding inside, outwardly patient 'til the time he'll call it.

The neighborhood

Derived

angioneurotic, antineurotic, cardioneurotic, hyperneurotic, neurotically, neuroticism, neuroticization, neuroticize, nonneurotic, postneurotic, psychoneurotic, trophoneurotic, unneurotic

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at neurotic. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01neurotic02anxious03disquietude04anxiety05obsession06fixation07fixated

A definitional loop anchored at neurotic. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

7 hops · closes at neurotic

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA