Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Of or relating to actors or acting.
- adjective Excessively dramatic or emotional; affected.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Pertaining to actors or acting; befitting the stage; theatrical; hence, feigned for effect; unreal.
- noun A dramatic performer; a stage-player.
- noun plural The art of theatrical representation; dramatic manner or expression: as, the histrionics of a stump-speaker.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Of or relating to the stage or a stageplayer; befitting a theatre; theatrical.
- adjective Affectedly dramatic; insincerely emotional; -- sometimes used in a bad sense.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Of, or relating to
actors oracting - adjective Excessively
dramatic oremotional , especially with the intention to drawattention .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective characteristic of acting or a stage performance; often affected
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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A writer who refers to a legislator that has been appointed to an Obama committee as a flaming liberal calling me histrionic is hilarious.
Democratic State Sen. Darlene Fairley Will Not Seek Reelection « PubliCola 2010
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Police indulged in 'histrionic gestures' during investigation of loans-for-peerages allegations, says former aide to Tony Blair
Jonathan Powell accuses John Yates of 'cavalier' approach over Met inquiry Nicholas Watt 2010
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The word histrionic is derived through the Latin from an Etruscan word which means "to leap" and was originally applied to dancers.
Our Stage and Its Critics By "E.F.S." of "The Westminster Gazette" Edward Fordham Spence 1896
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Irrfan we know as a histrionic powerhouse, but here he's playing an action hero.
rediff.com 2009
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Here, I did think Mr. Comey's testimony was "histrionic" -- that is, "of a theatrical quality."
Balkinization 2007
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Here, I did think Mr. Comey's testimony was "histrionic" -- that is, "of a theatrical quality."
Balkinization 2007
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Here, I did think Mr. Comey's testimony was "histrionic" -- that is, "of a theatrical quality."
Balkinization 2007
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Here, I did think Mr. Comey's testimony was "histrionic" -- that is, "of a theatrical quality."
Balkinization 2007
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Here, I did think Mr. Comey's testimony was "histrionic" -- that is, "of a theatrical quality."
Balkinization 2007
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Here, I did think Mr. Comey's testimony was "histrionic" -- that is, "of a theatrical quality."
Balkinization 2007
jennarenn commented on the word histrionic
See histrionically, where I WAS NOT MENTIONED EVEN ONCE!!!!!
February 11, 2008
palooka commented on the word histrionic
jennaren? The name sounds slightly familiar. Are you new? Welcome to wordie jennaren! No need for HISTRIONICS! We'll get to know you - all in good time my pretty.
February 11, 2008
palooka commented on the word histrionic
Sorry jennaren. I have the flu today & my comments are weirder than normal.
February 11, 2008
5814738 commented on the word histrionic
"'Back, ladies and gents, back, I beg of you!" The showman's voice was pompous and histrionic." From Perdido Street Station by China Mieville.
September 27, 2011
munjal.upadhyay commented on the word histrionic
unreal
dramebaj
March 25, 2013