What does lunatics mean?
The plural noun lunatics refers to people considered mentally unstable, wildly irrational, or behaving in an eccentric and out-of-control way. In contemporary use it is usually informal and may be derogatory, particularly when applied to someone experiencing a mental-health condition, so it should be used with care. The expression is also frequently hyperbolic: describing someone as one of the lunatics can simply mean that they are acting unusually energetically, recklessly, or foolishly. Historically, the word was connected with the belief that the Moon influenced human behaviour and mental stability, which explains its association with irrationality. Today, it is most natural in informal narrative, literary, or emphatic contexts, while more neutral language is preferable when referring directly to people with mental-health diagnoses.
plural nounPeople regarded as mentally unstable, wildly irrational, or behaving in an eccentric or out-of-control manner. The word is often informal and can be derogatory when used about someone with a mental-health condition.
- People regarded as mentally unstable, wildly irrational, or behaving in an eccentric or out-of-control manner.
"The neighbours called the late-night noise from the house the work of lunatics, but the explanation proved far more ordinary."
"The two children raced through the corridors like lunatics when the bell rang."
"The report described the rumours circulating online as the work of lunatics."
The standard singular form of lunatics is lunatic; the plural is used for more than one person.
"The novel portrays a family of lunatics living in isolation."
The word once linked madness to the Moon: its Latin ancestor meant “moon-struck,” reflecting the old belief that the Moon could influence behaviour and sanity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lunatics come from?
The word comes through French from Latin lunaticus, meaning “moon-struck” or affected by the Moon, and is built on Latin luna, “moon.” Its early English sense referred to people whose behaviour was thought to be governed by lunar influence and who were therefore regarded as insane. Over time, the word broadened to mean any person considered wildly irrational or unstable.
Related word forms
How lunatics is actually used
Generally informal and sometimes offensive, especially when applied to people with a mental-health condition. It is often hyperbolic, as in “driving like a maniac,” rather than a precise clinical description.
Easily confused with lunatics
A maniac may refer to an extremely enthusiastic or obsessive person as well as someone regarded as mentally unstable, whereas lunatics is more commonly used for a group of people behaving wildly or irrationally.