hyper

1 of 2

adjective

hy·​per ˈhī-pər How to pronounce hyper (audio)
1
: high-strung, excitable
also : highly excited
was a little hyper after drinking too much coffee
2
: extremely active
hyper children

hyper-

2 of 2

prefix

1
: above : beyond : super-
hypermarket
2
a
: excessively
hypersensitive
b
: excessive
hyperemia
3
: that is or exists in a space of more than three dimensions
hyperspace
4
: bridging points within an entity (such as a database or network) nonsequentially
hypertext

Examples of hyper in a Sentence

Adjective I get a little hyper when I drink too much coffee. she's so hyper that she's the last person you'd want to turn to in an emergency

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

short for hyperactive

Prefix

Latin hyper-, from Greek, from hyper — more at over

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1942, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hyper was circa 1942

Dictionary Entries Near hyper

Cite this Entry

“Hyper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyper. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hyper-

prefix
1
: above : beyond : super-
2
a
: excessively
hypersensitive
b
: excessive
3
: being or existing in a space of more than three dimensions
hyperspace
4
: connecting things (as in a network) that are not close in a sequence
hypertext
Etymology

Prefix

derived from Greek hyper "over"

More from Merriam-Webster on hyper

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