adj · noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈhɛktɪk/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛktɪk
CMU ARPABET:HH EH1 K T IH0 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Very busy with activity and confusion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Examples
The city center is so hectic at 8 in the morning that I go to work an hour beforehand to avoid the crowds
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: feverish
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption and similar wasting diseases, characterised by flushed cheeks and dry skin.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
Examples
hectic fever
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Pertaining to or symptomatic of such a fever.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A hectic fever.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A flush like one produced by such a fever.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
marked by intense agitation or emotion
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
worked at a feverish pace
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: feverish
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English etik, ethik, from Old French etique, from Medieval Latin *hecticus, from Ancient Greek ἑκτικός (hektikós, “habitual, hectic, consumptive”), from ἕξις (héxis, “a state or habit of body or of mind, condition”), from ἔχειν (ékhein, “to have, hold, be in a certain state”).
Across languages
Translations
53 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
възбуден
(vǎzbuden)
— very busy with activity and confusion
Bulgarian:
неспокоен
(nespokoen)
— very busy with activity and confusion
Catalan:
frenètic
— very busy with activity and confusion
Catalan:
agitat
— very busy with activity and confusion
Catalan:
febril
— very busy with activity and confusion
Chinese Mandarin:
忙碌的
(mánglù de)
— very busy with activity and confusion
Chinese Mandarin:
繁忙的
(fánmáng de)
— very busy with activity and confusion
Czech:
hektický
— very busy with activity and confusion
Danish:
hektisk
— very busy with activity and confusion
Dutch:
hectisch
— very busy with activity and confusion
Finnish:
kuumeinen
— very busy with activity and confusion
Finnish:
kiihkeä
— very busy with activity and confusion
Finnish:
hektinen
— very busy with activity and confusion
French:
agité
— very busy with activity and confusion
German:
hektisch
— very busy with activity and confusion
Italian:
febbrile
— very busy with activity and confusion
Italian:
frenetico
— very busy with activity and confusion
Macedonian:
во́збуден
(vózbuden)
— very busy with activity and confusion
Macedonian:
неспо́коен
(nespókoen)
— very busy with activity and confusion
Polish:
hektyczny
— very busy with activity and confusion
Portuguese:
febril
— very busy with activity and confusion
Portuguese:
frenético
— very busy with activity and confusion
Romanian:
agitat
— very busy with activity and confusion
Romanian:
febril
— very busy with activity and confusion
Russian:
лихора́дочный
(lixorádočnyj)
— very busy with activity and confusion
Russian:
суетли́вый
(sujetlívyj)
— very busy with activity and confusion
Russian:
сумато́шный
(sumatóšnyj)
— very busy with activity and confusion
Spanish:
ajetreado
— very busy with activity and confusion
Spanish:
febril
— very busy with activity and confusion
Spanish:
agobiante
— very busy with activity and confusion
Spanish:
frenético
— very busy with activity and confusion
Spanish:
movido
— very busy with activity and confusion
Swedish:
jäktig
— very busy with activity and confusion
Ukrainian:
гарячковий
(harjačkovyj)
— very busy with activity and confusion
Ukrainian:
метушливий
(metušlyvyj)
— very busy with activity and confusion
Bulgarian:
трескав
(treskav)
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Catalan:
febril
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Catalan:
hèctic
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Finnish:
hektinen
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
French:
hectique
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Macedonian:
тре́скав
(tréskav)
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Macedonian:
треска́вичен
(treskávičen)
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Polish:
hektyczny
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Portuguese:
febril
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Portuguese:
frenético
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Romanian:
hectic
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Russian:
лихора́дочный
(lixorádočnyj)
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Russian:
гекти́ческий
(gektíčeskij)
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Spanish:
héctico
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Spanish:
hético
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Spanish:
ético
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Ukrainian:
гектичний
(hektyčnyj)
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
Ukrainian:
сухотний
(suxotnyj)
— denoting a type of fever accompanying consumption
