• adj. 瘋狂的；精神錯亂的；愚蠢的
• n. 瘋子；瘋人

來自拉丁語luna,月亮，詞源同lunar.因西方古代醫學認為月相的盈虧可引發暫時的神經錯亂，也就是月亮效應，但時至今日，醫學界仍對這一現象爭論不休，沒有定論。

lunatic (adj.)

late 13c., "affected with periodic insanity, dependent on the changes of the moon," from Old French lunatique, lunage "insane," or directly from Late Latin lunaticus "moon-struck," from Latin luna "moon" (see Luna). Compare Old English monseoc "lunatic," literally "moon-sick;" Middle High German lune "humor, temper, mood, whim, fancy" (German Laune), from Latin luna. Compare also New Testament Greek seleniazomai "be epileptic," from selene "moon." Lunatic fringe (1913) apparently was coined by U.S. politician Theodore Roosevelt.

Then, among the wise and high-minded people who in self-respecting and genuine fashion strive earnestly for peace, there are foolish fanatics always to be found in such a movement and always discrediting it -- the men who form the lunatic fringe in all reform movements. [Theodore Roosevelt, autobiography, 1913].

Earlier it was a term for a type of hairstyle worn over the forehead (1877). Lunatic soup (1933) was Australian slang for "alcoholic drink."

lunatic (n.)

"lunatic person," late 14c., from lunatic (adj.).

1. The word "lunatic" was coined to describe people who went mad at the full moon.

lunatic是個生造詞，用來形容月圓時發瘋的人。

來自柯林斯例句

2. This murderous lunatic could kill them both without a second thought.

這個殺人狂會不假思索地把他們兩個都殺掉。

來自柯林斯例句

3. Malcolm looked at her as if she were a raving lunatic.

馬爾科姆看著她好像在看一個精神錯亂的瘋子。

來自柯林斯例句

4. The official dismissed the speech as the ramblings of a desperate lunatic.

那位官員將演說斥為一個瘋子絕望之中的胡說八道而不予理會。

來自柯林斯例句

5. He pleads for sanity in a lunatic world.

他祈求在這混亂的世界里仍能保持頭腦清明。

來自柯林斯例句