hyper-prefix

representing Greek ὑπερ- (ὑπέρ preposition and adverb, ‘over, beyond, over much, above measure’); in Greek combined adverbially with verbs, in the local sense ‘over, above, beyond’, as ὑπερβαίνειν to step over, overstep, cross, ὑπερβάλλειν to throw over or beyond; and hence in the adjectives and substantives thence derived, as ὑπερβατός going across, transposed (cf. hyperbaton n.), ὑπερβολή a throwing over or beyond, overshooting, excess, extravagance, hyperbole n., ὑπερβολικός hyperbolic adj. Also with adjectives formed on substantive stems, implying that the thing or quality is present over or beyond the ordinary degree, as ὑπέρθῡμος over-daring, high-spirited, ὑπέρβιος of overwhelming might; and later with ordinary adjectives with the sense ‘exceedingly’, as ὑπέρμεγας immensely great, ὑπέρκαλος exceedingly beautiful. In this sense also sometimes with verbs, as ὑπεραγαπᾶν to love exceedingly, ὑπερεχθαίρειν to hate exceedingly. Also combined prepositionally with nouns, forming adjectives with the sense of lying or going beyond, surpassing, as ὑπερβόρεος that is beyond the north wind, hyperborean adj. and n., ὑπερόριος lying over the frontier, ὑπερουράνιος that is above the heavens, ὑπέρθεος more than divine, ὑπέρμετρος going beyond measure (or metre); whence also with nouns from adjectives, as ὑπερθύριον the lintel of a door, ὑπερμετρία a passing all measure. Comparatively few of these have come down or been adopted in English, hyperbole, hyperborean, with their derivatives, being the chief; but from the 17th century hyper- has been extensively used, more or less on Greek analogies, in the formation of new compounds, and has even become a kind of living element, freely prefixed to adjectives and substantives, as in groups 1 and 4 below.