Standard Lemma guide

hypercritical

adj · 2 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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  • CMU ARPABET: HH AY2 P ER0 K R IH1 T IH0 K AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Meticulously or excessively critical.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ultracritical

Antonyms: noncritical, uncritical

Broader terms: overcritical, critical

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

inclined to judge too severely

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • hypercritical of colloquial speech
  • the overcritical teacher can discourage originality

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: overcritical

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Hellenic *hupér Ancient Greek ῠ̔πέρ (hŭpér) Ancient Greek ῠ̔περ- (hŭper-)der. English hyper- Proto-Indo-European *krey- Proto-Indo-European *krinyétider. Proto-Hellenic *kríňňō Ancient Greek κρῑ́νω (krī́nō) Ancient Greek κρῐ- (krĭ-) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek κρῐτής (krĭtḗs) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ῐκός (-ĭkós) Ancient Greek κριτικός (kritikós)bor. Latin criticus Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English critical English hypercritical From hyper- + critical.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: hiperkrities — overly critical
  • Czech: hyperkritický — overly critical
  • Greek: υπερκριτικός (yperkritikós) — overly critical
  • Māori: arerorua — overly critical