hyper- /hī-pər- or hī-pûr-/

1. Signifying: over
2. Excessive
3. More than normal

hyperaccūmˈūlator noun

A plant that absorbs large amounts of heavy metals from the soil

hyperacidˈity noun

Excessive acidity, esp in the stomach

hyperactˈive adjective (medicine)

Abnormally or pathologically active

hyperactivˈity noun

hyperacusis /-ə-kūˈsis/ noun

(Gr akousis hearing) abnormally increased power of hearing

hyperacuteˈ adjective

hyperacuteˈness noun

hyperadrēˈnalism noun

Excessive activity of the adrenal gland

hyperaemia or (N American) hyperemia /-ēˈmi-ə/ noun

(Gr haima blood) congestion or excess of blood in any part

hyperaeˈmic or (N American) hypereˈmic adjective

hyperaesthesia /-ēs-thēˈzi-ə/ or (N American) hyperesthesia /-is-thēˈ/ noun

1. (Gr aisthēsis perception) excessive sensitivity to stimuli
2. An abnormal extension of the bodily senses assumed to explain telepathy and clairvoyance
3. Exaggerated aestheticism

hyperaesthēˈsic, hyperaesthetic or (N American) hyperesthetic /-thetˈik/ adjective

1. Overaesthetic
2. Abnormally or morbidly sensitive

hyperalgēˈsia /-si-ə or -zi-ə/ noun

(Gr algēsis pain) heightened sensitivity to pain

hyperalgēˈsic adjective

hyperbarˈic adjective

1. Having specific gravity greater than that of cerebrospinal fluid (spinal anaesthesia)
2. Relating to conditions of high atmospheric pressure with a greater concentration of oxygen than normal, as in a hyperbaric chamber a chamber containing oxygen at high pressure

hyperbatˈic adjective

hyperbatˈically adverb

hyperˈbaton noun (Gr, from the root of bainein to go; rhetoric)

A figure of speech in which the customary order of words is reversed

hyperˈbola noun (pl usually hyperˈbolas) (Gr hyperbolē overshooting, from ballein to throw; geometry)

One of the conic sections, the intersection of a plane with a cone when the plane cuts both branches of the cone

hyperbole /hī-pûrˈbə-lē/ noun

A rhetorical figure which produces a vivid impression by extravagant and obvious exaggeration

hyperbolˈic or hyperbolˈical adjective

Of a hyperbola or hyperbole (hyperbolic functions (mathematics) a set of six functions (sinh, cosh, tanh, etc) analogous to the trigonometrical functions; hyperbolic geometry that involving the axiom that through any point in a given plane there can be drawn more than one line that does not intersect a given line; hyperbolic logarithms natural logarithms; hyperbolic paraboloid a saddle-shaped surface represented by the equation x²/a−y²/b=z; hyperbolic spiral a spiral of polar equation pθ=k²)

hyperbolˈically adverb

hyperˈbolism noun

hyperˈbolize or hyperˈbolise transitive verb

To represent hyperbolically

To speak hyperbolically or with exaggeration

hyperˈboloid noun

A solid figure in which some of the plane sections are hyperbolas

hyperborean /-böˈ/ adjective

(Gr Hyperboreoi a people supposed to live in sunshine beyond the north wind, from Boreas the north wind) belonging to the extreme north

An inhabitant of the extreme north

hypercalcaeˈmia or hypercalceˈmia noun

An abnormally high concentration of calcium in the blood

hypercatalectˈic adjective (prosody)

Having an additional syllable or half-foot after the last complete dipody

hypercatalexˈis noun

hyˈpercharge noun

The strangeness of a particle plus its baryon number

To charge excessively, to overload

hypercholesterolaeˈmia noun

A condition characterized by an abnormally high level of blood cholesterol

hyˈpercolour noun

A dye that causes a fabric to change colour with a change of temperature

hyperconˈscious adjective

More than normally aware (of)

hypercorrectˈ adjective

1. Over-correct
2. Very critical
3. Due to or showing hypercorrection

hypercorrecˈtion noun

A correction made in the mistaken belief that nonstandard linguistic usage is being thus avoided, eg the erroneous use of I in the place of me in phrases such as between you and I

hypercorrectˈness noun

hypercritˈic noun

1. Someone who is over-critical
2. A carper

hypercritˈic or hypercritˈical adjective

Excessively critical, esp of very small faults

hypercritˈically adverb

hypercritˈicism noun

hypercritˈicize or hypercritˈicise /-sīz/ transitive verb

hyˈpercube noun (mathematics)

A theoretical solid in four or more dimensions, all sides being equal and all angles right angles

hyperdacˈtyl adjective

(Gr daktylos finger, toe)

hyperdacˈtyly noun

Possession of more than five fingers or toes

hyperdorian /-döˈ/ adjective (Gr hyperdōrios; music)

1. Above the Dorian mode
2. Applied in ancient Greek music to a mode having as its lower tetrachord the upper tetrachord of the Dorian (as: b c d e; e f g a; b)

hy'perdrive noun

(in science fiction) an engine or power source that enables matter to be transported through hyperspace

hyperdulia /-doo-līˈə/ noun see under dulia

hyperemˈesis noun

(Gr emesis vomiting) excessive vomiting

hyperemetˈic adjective

hyperemia, hyperesthesia noun see hyperaemia, hyperaesthesia above

hypereutecˈtic adjective

(of a compound) containing more of the minor component than an eutectic compound

hyperextendˈ transitive verb

To extend (a limb) beyond its normal range, causing injury

hyperextenˈsion noun

hyperfineˈ adjective (hyperfine structure (physics)

The splitting of spectrum lines into two or more very closely spaced components)

hyperfocal distance /-fōˈkəl/ noun (photography)

The distance in front of a lens focused at infinity beyond which all objects are acceptably in focus

hyperˈgamous adjective

Relating to hypergamy

hypergamy /hī-pûrˈgə-mi/ noun

1. (Gr gamos marriage) a custom that allows a man but forbids a woman to marry a person of lower social standing
2. Now sometimes more generally marriage of one person with another of higher social rank

hyperglycaemia or (US) hyperglycemia /-glī-sēˈmi-ə/ noun

An abnormally high concentration of sugar in the blood

hypergolic /-golˈik/ adjective

(of two or more liquids) spontaneously explosive on mixing

hyperhidrōˈsis, hyperhydrōˈsis or hyperidrōˈsis noun

Excessive sweating

hyperinflāˈtion noun (economics)

Rapid inflation uncontrollable by normal means

hyperinōˈsis noun

(Gr īs, īnos strength, fibre) excess of fibrin in the blood

hyperinotˈic adjective

hyperkalae'mia noun

An abnormally high concentration of potassium in the blood

hyperkeratōˈsis noun

The abnormal thickening of the outer layer of the skin

hyperkinēˈsia or hyperkinēˈsis noun

1. Abnormal movement in muscle
2. Hyperactivity

hyperkinetic /-netˈik/ adjective

hyperlinkˈ noun

A form of cross-reference in computer-readable text which allows instant access to related material

To link in this way

hyperlipaeˈmia or (US) hyperlipēˈmia noun

An abnormally high level of fat in the blood (also hyperlipidaeˈmia or (US) hyperlipidēˈmia)

hyperlydian /-lidˈi-ən/ adjective

1. (Gr hyperlȳdios) above the Lydian mode
2. Applied in ancient Greek music to a mode having as its lower tetrachord the upper tetrachord of the Lydian (as: g a b c; c d e f; g)

hypermanˈia noun (psychiatry)

An extreme form of mania

hypermanˈic adjective

hyˈpermarket or hyˈpermart noun

A very large self-service store with a wide range of goods

hypermēˈdia noun (computing)

A system linking information stored as text, graphics, audio and video

hypermetˈrical adjective (prosody)

1. Beyond or exceeding the ordinary metre of a line
2. Having or being an additional syllable

hypermetrōˈpia noun

(Gr metron measure, and ōps eye) long-sightedness (also hyperōˈpia)

hypermetropˈic adjective

hypermnēˈsia noun

Abnormal power of memory

hypernatraemia /-nə-trēˈmi-ə/ noun

(natrium (see natron) and Gr haima blood) an abnormally high concentration of sodium chloride (salt) in the blood, esp in infants

hypernōˈva noun (pl hypernōˈvae /-vē/ or hypernōˈvas) (astronomy)

A star that collapses to form a black hole, emitting very large quantities of light and gamma radiation

hyˈpernym noun

(Gr onyma name) a superordinate word representing a class or family of which several other words can be members, as flower is a hypernym of rose and daisy

hyperˈnymy noun

hyˈperon noun

Any baryon that is not a neutron

hyperopia noun see hypermetropia above

hyperparˈasite noun

A parasite living on another parasite

hyperparathyˈroidism noun

An abnormally high level of parathyroid hormone in the blood

hyperphagia /-fāˈji-ə/ noun

Bulimia

hyperphrygian /-frijˈi-ən or -frijˈən/ adjective

1. (Gr hyperphrygios) above the Phrygian
2. Applied to a mode of ancient Greek music having as its lower tetrachord the upper tetrachord of the Phrygian (as: a b c d; d e f g; a)

hyperphysˈical adjective

1. Beyond physical laws
2. Supernatural

hyperplasia /-plāˈzi-ə or -zhə/ noun (Gr plasis a forming; pathology)

Overgrowth of a part due to excessive multiplication of its cells

hyperplastic /-plasˈ/ adjective

hyperpyretic /-pir-etˈik/ adjective

(Gr pyretikos feverish)

hyperpyrexˈia noun

Abnormally high body temperature

hypersarcōˈma or hypersarcōˈsis noun (Gr hypersarkōma, hypersarkōsis, from sarx flesh; pathology)

Proud or fungous flesh

hypersensˈitive adjective

Excessively sensitive

hypersensˈitiveness noun

hypersensitivˈity noun

hypersensitizāˈtion or hypersensitisāˈtion noun

hypersensˈitize or hypersensˈitise transitive verb

To increase the sensitivity of

hypersenˈsūal adjective

Beyond the scope of the senses

hypersomˈnia noun

(L somnus sleep) a pathological tendency to sleep excessively

hypersonˈic adjective

1. (L sonus sound) (of speeds) greater than Mach 5
2. (of aircraft) able to fly at such speeds
3. (of sound waves) having a frequency greater than 1000 million Hz

hypersonˈics plural noun

hyˈperspace noun

1. Space having more than three dimensions (mathematics)
2. (in science fiction) a theoretical fourth dimension

hypersthene /hīˈpər-sthēn/ noun

(Gr sthenos strength, because harder than hornblende) rock-forming orthorhombic pyroxene, anhydrous silicate of magnesium and iron, generally dark green, brown, or raven-black with a metallic lustre

hypersthēˈnia noun (pathology)

A morbid condition marked by excessive excitement of all the vital phenomena

hypersthenic /-sthenˈik/ adjective

Of hypersthene or of hypersthenia

hypersthēˈnite noun

1. A rock consisting almost entirely of hypersthene
2. An aggregate of labradorite and hypersthene (obsolete)

hyˈperstress noun

Excessive stress

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