hysteric
English
Alternative forms
- hysterick (obsolete)
Etymology
From Latin hystericus, from Ancient Greek ὑστερικός (husterikós, “suffering in the uterus, hysterical”), from ὑστέρα (hustéra, “womb”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /hɪsˈtɛɹɪk/
Adjective
hysteric (comparative more hysteric, superlative most hysteric)
- (medicine) Hysterical; relating to hysteria.
- 1969, Edmund Bergler, Selected Papers of Edmund Bergler, 1933-1961 (page 697)
- We also find gamblers of this type among some frigid hysteric women, who seem to treat gambling as they treat men, coldly and spongingly.
- 1969, Edmund Bergler, Selected Papers of Edmund Bergler, 1933-1961 (page 697)
Noun
hysteric (plural hysterics)
- A hysterical person.
- 1956, Norman Mailer, “The Man Who Studied Yoga”:
- “Which girl was it now?” he asks a second time. ¶ “Oh, you know, the hysteric,” Eleanor says, “the one who was parading her bazooms in your face.”
- 1956, Norman Mailer, “The Man Who Studied Yoga”:
Usage notes
- Like many terms that start with a non-silent h but have emphasis on their second syllable, some people precede hysteric with an, others with a.
Translations
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Related terms
- hysteria
- hysterical
Further reading
- hysteric in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
- hysteric at OneLook Dictionary Search