English Explanatory Dictionary

histrionic

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Of or relating to actors or acting.
  2. Excessively dramatic or emotional, especially with the intention to draw attention.

Pronunciation

/hɪstɹiːˈɒnɪk/ /ˌhɪs.triˈɑ.nɪk/ en-au-histrionic.ogg

Word forms

histrionic more histrionic most histrionic histrionick

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin histriōnicus (“pertaining to acting; scurrilous, shameful; wretched”), from Latin histriōnicus (“pertaining to acting and the theatre”), from histriō (“actor, player”) + -icus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’). By surface analysis, histrion + -ic.

Synonyms

actorish actressy dramatic theatrical hammy melodramatic overdramatic sensationalized stagy

Antonyms

undramatic understated stoic

Related words

histrion histrionism histrionize

Derived words

herstrionic histrionical histrionically histrionicism histrionicity histrionic personality disorder histrionics testrionics unhistrionic
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