adj
batty
BA-tee
adj
1
Crazy, eccentric, or slightly mad.
"He has some pretty batty ideas about how to run the business."
"The old woman next door is a bit batty but perfectly harmless."
How to Use Batty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA casual, slightly affectionate way to call someone or something crazy or odd.
Memory tip
It's informal and usually not meant as a harsh insult — more "eccentric" than "dangerous."
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
a batty old man
batty idea
go batty
Word Forms
battier comparative, batties plural, Battys plural, battiest superlative
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He has some pretty _____ ideas about how to run the business.
Etymology
From "bat" (the animal) plus "-y," popularised by the phrase "bats in one's belfry," describing bats flying erratically — first used to mean "insane" in the early 1900s.