lunaticlu‧na‧tic /ˈluːnətɪk/ noun [countable] 
This hotel is run by a lunatic!2old-fashioned a very offensive word for someone who is mentally ill: a dangerous lunatic3the lunatic fringe British English the small group of people in a political group or organization who have the most extreme opinions or ideas—lunatic adjective [only before noun]: lunatic behaviour
WORD ORIGINlunatic
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French lunatique, from Late Latin lunaticus, from Latin luna ( ➔ LUNAR); because people thought mental illness was caused by the moonEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Some lunatic came into the store and shot him.
- The boy and girl probably thought he was a lunatic.
Longman Language Activatora crazy person
· A lot of people think he's a complete nut, but he's actually quite harmless.· The woman sounds like a real nut.somebody is some kind/type of nut · He started asking me a lot of questions about my personal life. I think the guy's some kind of nut.
someone who behaves in a crazy and often amusing way and who has strange ideas: · Our old maths teacher was a real nutcase -- he used to eat chalk because he said it was good for your bones.a bunch of loonies: · In the 1960s, people thought that vegetarians were a bunch of loonies.
especially spoken someone who behaves in a stupidly dangerous way: · Ken drives like a maniac.· Some lunatic threw a can of lighter fluid on the fire.
British informal someone who has strange ideas or who behaves in a strange and often frightening way: · Sometimes you get these nutters calling you at 3 o'clock in the morning.· Burns can be a nutter - especially when he's had a few drinks.complete nutter: · He's a complete nutter. He's got no sense whatsoever.
someone who has extreme opinions someone who has extreme opinions, especially about politics or religion: · The government condemns anyone who disagrees with it as extremists.· The regime has been accused of supporting extremists in other countries in the region.· Left-wing extremists have threatened to disrupt the political convention.
someone who agrees with and supports very extreme religious or political aims, is completely certain that their opinions are right, and who is thought to be dangerous: · His parents were religious fanatics who didn't allow him to play with other children.· Pro-Fascist fanatics have continued their attacks on foreigners.
someone who believes very deeply in a set of political aims and ideas, and will not accept or support any changes to them, even if this is unreasonable or unhelpful: · Cuban-American hardliners continue to reject any dealings with Castro.· The Prime Minister has been criticized by hardliners in his party for giving away too much in the treaty.
someone who is willing to work outside usual political structures, and use illegal or violent methods if necessary, in order to achieve political change: · He is one of the militants convicted of the World Trade Center bombing.· A crowd of militants took to the streets to protest the government's policies.
someone who follows the rules of their religion very strictly, in a way that seems very unusual to people who do not believe in the same way: Christian/Muslim/Jewish/Hindu etc fundamentalist: · an organized Christian fundamentalist movementfundamentalist group/leader/party/church etc: · They belong to a fundamentalist church.
the hardcore members of a political organization are the small group of people who have the strongest beliefs and who do the most work: · The organization has only about 30 hardcore supporters.· Dole at least had the support of loyal hard-core Republicans.
someone who has very extreme beliefs about something, especially about religion, and who thinks that everyone else should live their lives according to religious rules and beliefs: · A few zealots strongly objected to the proposed sale of alcohol at the local store.· Anti-abortion zealots are responsible for the bombing of the clinic.
someone who completely refuses to accept new ideas, especially political ideas, even after most other people have accepted them: · Salisbury, Walton, and a few other diehards still refused to join the coalition.· Taylor is one of the diehards willing to push the development program at any price.
a small number of people within a larger organization or movement, whose ideas are so extreme or unusual that most people think they are stupid or a little crazy: · Many think the lunatic fringe has really harmed the public image of gays among the middle class.· Animal rights campaigners blame the latest set of bomb attacks on the lunatic fringe within the movement.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES a raving lunatic
1someone who behaves in a crazy or very stupid way – often used humorously: a raving lunatic This hotel is run by a lunatic!2old-fashioned a very offensive word for someone who is mentally ill: a dangerous lunatic3the lunatic fringe British English the small group of people in a political group or organization who have the most extreme opinions or ideas—lunatic adjective [only before noun]: lunatic behaviour