Standard Lemma guide

hypercorrect

adj · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To change (a word or phrase) to a nonstandard form, or to another option among a set of accepted alternative-form options, in the mistaken belief that the form used was wrong.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To correct excessively.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Back-formation from hypercorrection, equivalent to hyper- + correct.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 矯枉過正的 /矫枉过正的 (jiǎowǎngguòzhèng de) — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Chinese Mandarin: 糾正過頭的 /纠正过头的 (jiūzhèng guòtóu de) — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Czech: hyperkorektní — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Czech: hyperspisovný — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Finnish: hyperkorrekti — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • German: hyperkorrekt — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Irish: forcheart — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Italian: ipercorretto — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Korean: 과도교정 (gwadogyojeong) — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Polish: hiperpoprawny — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Russian: гиперкорре́ктный (giperkorréktnyj) — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Scottish Gaelic: os-cheart — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Serbo-Croatian: hiperispravan — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Serbo-Croatian: hiperkorektan — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Slovak: hyperkorektný — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Slovak: hyperspisovný — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Slovene: hiperkorekten — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Slovene: nadpravilen — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage
  • Spanish: hipercorrecto — nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage