Antics

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæntɪks/

Definitions

1. Unusual or silly actions that are often done to entertain or amuse others
2. Playful or mischievous behavior intended to provoke laughter or cause surprise
3. Behavior that is funny, odd, or exaggerated, usually to attract attention or make people laugh

Etymology: The noun "antics" is the plural of "antic," which began as an adjective meaning "ancient" or "old-fashioned" and in English later came to mean "fantastic" or "grotesque." The likely route runs through Italian "antico," meaning "ancient," which was used to describe the ancient wall paintings of classical Rome. Those paintings mixed human figures with fanciful creatures and plants in odd, playful arrangements, so the people who first saw them called them "grotesque," and "antic" came to carry a similar sense of strange and exaggerated. The word is a doublet of "antique," meaning the two came from the same Latin source, "antiquus," but entered English by different paths and took on different senses. "Antique" kept the sense of age, while "antic" moved toward oddness and fantastic display. Over time "antic" shifted from a description of artwork to a description of behavior. Its plural, "antics," came to mean wild or silly actions, often performed to attract notice or amuse an audience.

Synonyms: pranks, foolishness, shenanigans, tomfoolery, jest

Antonyms: seriousness, gravity, sincerity, solemnity, dignity