different between hysterical vs exaggeration

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /h??st???k?l/

Adjective

hysterical (comparative more hysterical, superlative most hysterical)

1. Of, or arising from hysteria.
   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, Chapter 16:

     An event of this nature, a marriage, or a refusal, or a proposal, thrills through a whole household of women, and sets all their hysterical sympathies at work.

2. Having, or prone to having hysterics.
3. Provoking uncontrollable laughter.

Usage notes

• Like many terms that start with a non-silent h but have emphasis on their second syllable, some people precede hysterical with an, others with a.

Related terms

• hysteric
• hysterics
• hysteria

Translations

Further reading

• hysterical in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• hysterical at OneLook Dictionary Search

English

Etymology

From Latin exaggeratio

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???zæd?????e???n/
• Rhymes: -e???n
• Hyphenation: ex?ag?ger?a?tion

Noun

exaggeration (countable and uncountable, plural exaggerations)

1. The act of heaping or piling up.
2. The act of exaggerating; the act of doing or representing in an excessive manner; a going beyond the bounds of truth, reason, or justice; a hyperbolical representation; hyperbole; overstatement.
3. A representation of things beyond natural life, in expression, beauty, power, vigor.

Synonyms

• overstatement
• hyperbole

Antonyms

• trivialization
• understatement

Translations