Alphabetic and alphabetical are synonymous, with two core meanings: 1) “arranged according to the order of the alphabet,” and 2) “characterized by or relating to the alphabet.” However, alphabetical, which is more common overall, is usually used in the context of the first meaning, as in:

• “The guidebook has the best places to visit listed in a series of alphabetical entries.”

Alphabetic, on the other hand, is nowadays more typically used in relation to the second meaning, “characterized by or relating to the alphabet,” as in:

• “English features an alphabetic writing system, whereas Chinese has a logographic writing system.”

Classic is the more broadly applicable of this pair. It is generally used to describe something as being representative of the standard, traditional, or perfected norm; of the highest class or quality; or having lasting significance or worth. For instance:

• “The novel uses classic tropes established in film noir.”
• “Their victory was largely due to a classic performance by their quarterback.”
• “We’ve designed the rooms with a classic aesthetic that is both classy and comfortable.”

Classic can also be used as a noun to describe an instance or example of these descriptions (as in, “The company’s latest product is an instant classic.”). When pluralized as classics, it can refer to the literature and/or languages of ancient Greece or Rome.

Classical can only be used as an adjective and is usually used more narrowly, referring to the art or culture of Ancient Greece or Rome, or the music produced in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. For example:

• “He is a professor of classical literature.”
• “I only listen to the works of classical pianists.”

As an adjective, comic is most commonly used to mean “of, characterized by, or having to do with comedy,” as in:

• “The actress has incredible comic timing.”
• “Some of the best comic writers in the business work on this show.”

Comic can also simply mean “funny or humorous,” but this definition is much more commonly associated with the term comical instead:

• “He had a knack for making comical facial expressions that delighted his audience.”
• “Her unscripted comments were undeniably comical.”

Unlike comic, comical can also have a negative connotation as well, indicating that something is ludicrous or pitiful in the way it provokes amusement. For example:

• “Their attempts to establish credibility were downright comical.”
• “He had a look of almost comical dejection when I told him the job had already been filled.”

Economic is used to describe that which is characterized by or relating to the economy, as in:

• “The president’s proposed economic reform is being scrutinized by Congress.”
• “It took several years for the country to recover from the economic downturn.”

Economical, on the other hand, more often relates to being efficient, frugal, or prudent (with money or another resource):

• “With six children under one roof, our parents were forced to be economical early on.”
• “The interior of the house was economical in its design, taking as much advantage of the limited space as possible.”

Electrical very broadly means “of, concerned with, operated by, or producing electricity.” For example:

• “I need to take a safety course before I can operate any of the electrical equipment at work.”
• “My sister is studying to be an electrical engineer.”

Electric is used to talk about specific machines that are powered by electricity or musical instruments amplified by electronic devices:

• “I love my electric car, but it can’t go very fast on the highway.”
• “We always rely on our electric blankets during winter.”
• “Of all things, my brother wants an electric harp for his birthday.”

Finally, electronic refers to devices in which electrical currents are passed through and controlled by mechanical components such as transistors and circuitry. More recently, it has been used to identify information and data that can be sent, stored, or created using electronic equipment and systems. For example:

• “Many everyday items in modern houses have been turned into electronic gizmos, from the thermostat to the refrigerator to the toaster.”
• “The advent of electronic mail (‘e-mail’) completely changed the way we do business now.”

The term electronics is also commonly used as a collective noun indicating devices such as phones, computers, or video game systems that are powered by electronic components, as in, “The store specializes in electronics sold at discounted rates.”

Fantastic once had the primary meaning of “existing in or having to do with fantasy or the imagination” or “strange and fanciful in appearance or conception.”

However, in modern English, fantastic more commonly means “exceptionally good, wonderful, or desirable.” For instance:

• “My sister received some fantastic news last night: she got the job!”
• “I thought the movie was really fantastic.”

(Note that some sources still consider this usage to be informal, so fantastic may not be the best word to use in formal speech or writing.)

Fantastical retains the older sense of fantastic, as in “The story is full of many fantastical creatures and environments.” It is a useful alternative when one wishes to describe something as “of or relating to fantasy” without causing confusion with the term fantastic.

Graphic and graphical are synonyms that both broadly mean “of, relating to, or represented by writing, pictures, or mathematical graphs,” as in:

• “Please provide some graphic/graphical representations of the data for the board meeting, Jim.”
• “It is the earliest language we know of that used graphic/graphical symbols to create a system of writing.”

However, there are certain nouns that will usually take one form over the other. There are no clear rules governing these; they’ve just become established over time:

• “I’m studying graphic design in college.”
• “All modern smartphones use a ‘graphical user interface,’ meaning you interact with images to control what the phone does.”
• “I’m currently working on a new graphic novel.”
• “We’re working on a new probabilistic graphical model for our work in machine learning.”

It’s also important to note that graphic has a common secondary meaning not shared by graphical: “vivid and explicit in representation,” usually implying or referring to sexual or violent content. For example:

• “Please don’t use such graphic language when the children are present.”
• “These films are a bit too graphic for my taste.”

Finally, we also use the collective noun graphics to refer to digital images created using computer software, as in:

• “The movie had spectacular graphics, but its story was a mess.”

While historic and historical are technically full synonyms, they have fairly distinct meanings in modern English.

Historic primarily means “influential on, important to, or notable in the course of history.” For example:

• “The historic accord between the two nations governed their relations for decades to come.”
• “In 1903, the Wright brothers took a historic flight in the world’s first airplane.”

Historical, on the other hand, more generally means “of, relating to, based on, or concerned with past events,” as in:

• “Many historical documents about the town’s past residents were lost in the fire.”
• “The film has tried to achieve an impressive degree of historical accuracy.”
• “Her new historical novel is set in Russia in 1762.”

Lyrical means “expressing or characteristic of deep emotional significance or enthusiasm.” For example:

• “His lyrical performance moved me so deeply that I felt compelled to weep and laugh at the same time.”
• “Though the book is historical non-fiction, the author has such a beautiful command of the language that many passages are downright lyrical.”

Lyric, when it functions as an adjective, is usually related to a particular category of poetry, in which emotions and thoughts are expressed through airy, songlike words. For example:

• “As modernism and postmodernism have risen to prominence, lyric poets of the old style have become few and far between.”

More often, though, lyric appears as the singular form of the noun lyrics, meaning “the words of a song.” For example:

• “I had my favorite lyric from their song printed onto a poster.”
• “Jess and Michael both seem to know the lyrics to every song on the radio.

The noun magic most commonly means “the process of using charms, rituals, spells, etc. to produce supernatural effects” or refers to such supernatural effects themselves. As an adjective, magic means “of, related to, or characterized by such supernatural elements or effects.” For example:

• “With his magic wand, he conjured up a fierce otherworldly creature.”
• “The world is populated with many magic spirits.”

The adjective magical can also carry this same meaning, but it is less common than magic. Instead, it is more often used to refer to something as being “exceptionally enchanting, wonderful, or exciting,” as in:

• “Samantha and I had a magical weekend together in Paris.”
• “It has been magical seeing such a strong reaction to our film.”

Mythical means “of or existing in a myth,” and, by extension, “imaginary, fictitious, or fantastical.” For example:

• “People still believe the mythical sasquatch exists, roaming the North American woodlands undetected.”

(This is entirely synonymous with the word mythological, but mythical is more common.)

Mythic can also carry the above meaning, but it also has an exclusive definition of its own: “having the characteristics or nature of a myth.” If something is mythic, rather than being fictitious or imaginary, it is elevated to the level of a legend in its scope or impact. Because it is more associated with real occurrences, it is also useful when describing something that has to do with the nature of mythology itself. For example:

• “My father’s ability to attract friends and inspire confidence was almost mythic.”
• “We can see in his novel the same mythic structures employed by Homer and Virgil.”

The adjective optic is usually used to refer specifically to the eye or to the physical process of sight. Perhaps its most common usage in modern English is in the term “optic nerve” (the nerve that carries visual information from the eye to the brain).

Optical is much broader in its definition. While it can also relate to the eye or the sense of sight, it can also mean “of, producing, or related to visible light; designed or constructed to assist sight; having to do with the field of optics.” For instance:

• optical zoom
• optical illusion
• optical fiber
• optical instruments
• optical defects
• optical astronomy

The adjective political broadly means “of, involved, in, characterized by, or relating to politics,” and it is by far the most common of the two terms. For example:

• “The company’s political contributions have been heavily scrutinized in the wake of the scandal.”
• “Her political career peaked in the late 2000s, but she first ran for office back in 1983.”

Politic originally meant the same thing, but has now become archaic in that sense. Though uncommon in everyday speech or writing, it now means “pragmatic, shrewd, prudent, or judicious.” For example:

• “His politic choice of investments did not surprise me, for my brother has never been one to gamble on uncertainty.”

analytic

anatomic

biographic

botanic

categoric

cubic

cyclic

diabolic

egoistic

egotistic

geographic*

geometric

ironic

mathematic

metaphoric

metric

numeric

parasitic

poetic

problematic

satiric

stoic

symbolic

analytical

anatomical

biographical

botanical

categorical

cubical

cyclical

diabolical

egoistical

egotistical

geographical*

geometrical

ironical

mathematical

metaphorical

metrical

numerical

parasitical

poetical

problematical

satirical

stoical

symbolical