US /hɪˈstɛrɪk/ UK /hɪˈstɛrɪk/
adj noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    affected by or characterized by uncontrolled emotion or panic

    Her hysteric sobbing slowly subsided into quiet exhaustion.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
Opposites
Word family
Derived forms hysterically

Etymology

From Latin hystericus, from Ancient Greek hysterikos ('of the womb'), from hystera ('womb'), reflecting the old belief that hysteria originated in the uterus.

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