spastic

[spas-tik] /ˈspæs tɪk/
adjective
1.
Pathology. pertaining to, of the nature of, or characterized by spasm, especially tonic spasm.
2.
Slang: Offensive. awkward or clumsy.
noun
3.
Pathology. a person exhibiting spasms.
4.
Slang: Offensive. an awkward or clumsy person.
Origin
1745-55; < Latin spasticus afflicted with spasms < Greek spastikós of a spasm, equivalent to spas-, stem of spân to pull off, pluck, convulse + -tikos -tic
Related forms
spastically, adverb
spasticity
[spa-stis-i-tee] /spæˈstɪs ɪ ti/ (Show IPA), noun
Usage note
The slang use of spastic (or spaz) to mean “clumsy” is perceived as insulting to people who are affected with muscular spasms.
Examples from the web for spastic
  • Botulinum toxin can be injected into the spastic muscles.
  • Working harder to catch your tale makes you spastic.
  • The reason this moves slowly is that the solution has to be based on facts and not spastic rumor mongering.
  • They'd inevitably portray the player as a spastic in mid-seizure, flailing away on a joystick while jumping and twitching.
  • The results were spastic and scattered, but also provocative and occasionally mesmerising.
  • It looks as if he's a prisoner inside his own spastic colon.
  • Their ultimate diagnosis was spastic colitis, which today would be described as irritable bowel syndrome.
  • Stretching and range-of-motion exercises are used to help treat spastic muscles.
  • Surprisingly, he was not a gangly, spastic beanpole.
  • But the real star is the stop-motion animation itself, beautiful to look at and executed with a deliberately spastic wit.
British Dictionary definitions for spastic

spastic

/ˈspæstɪk; spæsˈtɪsɪtɪ/
noun
1.
an old-fashioned and now offensive name for a person who has cerebral palsy
2.
(taboo, slang) a clumsy, incapable, or incompetent person
adjective
3.
affected by or resembling spasms
4.
(taboo, slang) clumsy, incapable or incompetent
Derived Forms
spastically, adverb
spasticity, noun
Word Origin
C18: from Latin spasticus, from Greek spastikos, from spasmosspasm
Word Origin and History for spastic
adj.

1753, from Latin spasticus, from Greek spastikos "afflicted with spasms," literally "drawing, pulling," from span "draw up" (see spasm). The noun meaning "a person affected with spastic paralysis" is attested from 1896.

spastic in Medicine

spastic spas·tic (spās'tĭk)
adj.

  1. Relating to or affected by spasm.

  2. Relating to spastic paralysis.

Slang definitions & phrases for spastic

spaz

adjective

: only the spastic twits in competition

noun
  1. A strange and stupid person; weirdo: The man's a spaz, a total spaz (1965+ Teenagers)
  2. A nonathletic person, esp an awkward one (1977+)
  3. A fit of anger; hissy fit: Well, they threw a spaz and said we can talk on the phone, but I can't see him or have him over (1990s+)

[sometimes used cruelly, in reference to the plight of cerebral palsy patients exhibiting constant body spasms]