tic

noun

ˈtik 

1

: local and habitual spasmodic motion of particular muscles especially of the face : twitching

2

: a frequent usually unconscious quirk of behavior or speech

"you know" is a verbal tic

Synonyms

• crotchet
• curiosity
• eccentricity
• erraticism
• idiosyncrasy
• individualism
• kink
• mannerism
• oddity
• peculiarity
• quiddity
• quip
• quirk
• singularity
• trick
• twist

Examples of tic in a Sentence

The verbal tic “you know” often occurs in her speech.

constantly playing with her hair is one of her more annoying tics

Recent Examples on the Web

Naturally, the always Mary Katherine also had to share her signature tic with the VP: Shoving her hands under her armpits and then sniffing her fingers. —Christian Holub, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024

In a sketch mocking Céline Dion’s recent, inexplicable promo for Sunday Night Football, the chameleonic chanteuse absolutely nails Dion’s French Canadian accent, inflections, vocal tics, and confidence. —Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2024

Never mind caring about any of these characters, a word that should technically be in scare quotes here, though kudos to the cast for being so nimble in switching personality traits, defining tics and signature cadences on a dime. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2024

Each character should have their own unique voice, complete with verbal tics, favorite phrases and patterns of speech. —Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

circa 1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tic

• tic douloureux
• tic-tac-toe

Kids Definition

tic

noun

ˈtik 

1

: a regularly repeated twitching movement of a particular muscle and especially one of the face

2

: a particular form of behavior or speech that is often repeated

"you know" is a verbal tic

Medical Definition

tic

noun

ˈtik 

1

: local and habitual spasmodic motion of particular muscles especially of the face : twitching

2

: a habitual usually unconscious quirk of behavior or speech