hyper

1
[ hahy-per ]
See synonyms for hyper on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. overexcited; overstimulated; keyed up.

  2. seriously or obsessively concerned; fanatical; rabid: She's hyper about noise pollution.

noun
  1. a person who is hyper.

Origin of hyper

1
First recorded in 1970–75; probably independent use of hyper-

Other definitions for hyper (2 of 3)

hyper2
[ hahy-per ]

nounInformal.
  1. a person who promotes or publicizes events, people, etc., especially one who uses flamboyant or questionable methods; promoter; publicist.

Origin of hyper

2
1910–15, Americanism, for an earlier sense; hype1 + -er1

Other definitions for hyper- (3 of 3)

hyper-

  1. a prefix appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “over,” usually implying excess or exaggeration (hyperbole); on this model used, especially as opposed to hypo-, in the formation of compound words (hyperthyroid).

Origin of hyper-

3
Greek, representing hypér over, above; cognate with Latin super (see super-); akin to over

Words that may be confused with hyper-

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use hyper in a sentence

  • This delight was at one time somewhat disturbed by his hyper-sensitiveness.

  • The two highest of these keys—the hyper-lydian and the hyper-aeolian—appear to have been added in the time of the Empire.

    The Modes of Ancient Greek Music | David Binning Monro
  • This report—exploited in five-column head-lines by a hyper-hysterical paper of that period received wide attention.

  • I trust that if we can ensure an atmosphere hyper-oxygenated to a certain point, we may be able to retain our senses.

    The Poison Belt | Arthur Conan Doyle
  • He had fought a short but furious ship-action, battering the invader until he was glad to hyper out.

    Space Viking | Henry Beam Piper

British Dictionary definitions for hyper (1 of 2)

hyper

/ (ˈhaɪpə) /


adjective
  1. informal overactive; overexcited

Origin of hyper

1
C20: probably independent use of hyper-

British Dictionary definitions for hyper- (2 of 2)

hyper-

prefix
  1. above, over, or in excess: hypercritical

  2. (in medicine) denoting an abnormal excess: hyperacidity

  1. indicating that a chemical compound contains a greater than usual amount of an element: hyperoxide

Origin of hyper-

2
from Greek huper over

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for hyper-

hyper-

  1. A prefix that means “excessive” or “excessively,” especially in medical terms like hypertension and hyperthyroidism.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.