hysterical

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /hɪˈstɛɹɪkəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #7452

Meanings

1

adj
Showing wild, uncontrollable emotion, such as panic, fear, or excitement.

The parents grew hysterical when they could not find their child.
2

adj
Extremely funny.

His impression of the boss was absolutely hysterical.
3

adj
Of or caused by hysteria.

The doctor said her trembling was a hysterical reaction to the shock.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 adj · of or caused by hysteria. hysteric

Word family

Derived forms antihystericalhystericallyhystericalnessnonhystericaloverhystericalposthystericalsemihystericalunhysterical

Related forms hysteria hysteric hysterics

Etymology

From hysteric + -al, from Latin hystericus, from Ancient Greek ὑστερικός (husterikós, “suffering in the womb, hysterical”), from ῠ̔στέρᾱ (hŭstérā, “womb”).

hystericus Latin ὑστερικός Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# hysterical

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /hɪˈstɛɹɪkəl/
**Frequency rank:** 7452

## Meanings
1. Showing wild, uncontrollable emotion, such as panic, fear, or excitement.
2. Extremely funny.
3. Of or caused by hysteria.

## Examples
- The parents grew hysterical when they could not find their child.
- His impression of the boss was absolutely hysterical.
- The doctor said her trembling was a hysterical reaction to the shock.

## Derived Forms
- antihysterical
- hysterically
- hystericalness
- nonhysterical
- overhysterical
- posthysterical
- semihysterical
- unhysterical

## Related Forms
- hysteria
- hysteric
- hysterics

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: hystericus
- Root: ὑστερικός

## Etymology
From hysteric + -al, from Latin hystericus, from Ancient Greek ὑστερικός (husterikós, “suffering in the womb, hysterical”), from ῠ̔στέρᾱ (hŭstérā, “womb”).

## AI Etymology
Hysterical is from hysteric + -al, from Latin hystericus, from Ancient Greek ὑστερικός (husterikós, “suffering in the womb, hysterical”), from ῠ̔στέρᾱ (hŭstérā, “womb”). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include hystericus (Latin) and ὑστερικός (Ancient Greek). Current senses include showing wild, uncontrollable emotion, such as panic, fear, or excitement, extremely funny, and of or caused by hysteria. The wider family includes derived forms such as antihysterical, hysterically, hystericalness, nonhysterical, and overhysterical and related words such as hysteria, hysteric, and hysterics.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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