Spanish word

pánico

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈpaniko/

Meaning

  • masculine nounpanic

Example

Vio las llamas y entró en pánico.

He saw the flames and panicked.

Illustration for pánico (panic)

More examples

El pánico se apoderó de la multitud.

Panic gripped the crowd.

Core concept

A sudden, intense fear that makes a person act impulsively and lose composure.

Common phrases

  • entrar en pánico

    panic

  • ataque de pánico

    panic attack

  • pánico escénico

    stage fright

Similar words

miedo: Fear felt when something seems dangerous or harmful.
susto: A brief, startled fright caused by a sudden event.
ansiedad: Excessive worry about future events that makes a person tense and unsettled.
temor: A general feeling of worry that something bad may happen.

Definition in Spanish

Miedo muy intenso y súbito que provoca confusión y reacciones impulsivas.

Word origin

Derived via Latin panicus from Greek panikos, literally 'pertaining to Pan', linking the word to the sudden fear attributed to the god Pan.

Usage tips

  • The written accent on pánico marks antepenultimate stress; the first a must be accented and writing panico is incorrect.

Opposites

Related words

  • paniquearpanicverb
  • paniqueopanic statenoun

Word lists with this word