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chaotic

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //keɪˈɑtɪk// UK //keɪˈɒtɪk// chaot·ic

adj. describing a situation that is completely out of control and messy. You use this when everything is happening at once and there is no clear order.

adj. characterised by a state of total confusion and lack of order. In a technical context, describes systems where small changes in initial conditions lead to vastly different and unpredictable outcomes.


SIMPLE

The morning commute was chaotic because of the heavy snow.

CONTEXTUAL

The first day of the sale was chaotic, with hundreds of customers rushing through the doors at once.

COMPLEX

While the movement of individual particles appears chaotic, the system as a whole follows a predictable statistical pattern over long periods of time.

Synonyms
Origin

From Late Latin chaoticus (“of or pertaining to the primordial state of the universe”), from Latin chaos (“chaos”) + -ticus (suffix forming adjectives from nouns); analysable as chaos + -otic. Doublet of gassy.

Usage

Often follows a linking verb like 'be', 'become', or 'seem'.

Pitfall

The room was a chaotic.The room was chaotic.Learners sometimes confuse the adjective 'chaotic' with the noun 'chaos' and try to use an article before it.

Idioms1 entry

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