hypercorrect

adjective

hy·​per·​cor·​rect ˌhī-pər-kə-ˈrekt How to pronounce hypercorrect (audio)
: of, relating to, or characterized by the production of a nonstandard linguistic form or construction on the basis of a false analogy (such as "badly" in "my eyes have gone badly")
hypercorrection noun
hypercorrectly adverb
hypercorrectness noun

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hypercorrect was in 1922

Dictionary Entries Near hypercorrect

Cite this Entry

“Hypercorrect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypercorrect. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

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