Word part · Greek prefix
Prefix hyper- words: meaning and 10 examples
In short
The Greek prefix hyper- (from Greek) means "over, or too much". Words with it include hyperactive, hyperactivity, hyperlink, hyperlinks, hypersensitive and hypertext. A Greek prefix with a meaning close to Latin super-.
- Part
- hyper-
- Meaning
- over, or too much
- Origin
- Greek
- Words listed
- 10
A Greek prefix with a meaning close to Latin super-. It often signals more than is normal: hyperactive.
Words with the Greek prefix hyper-
The list runs from shorter, common words to longer ones. The bands are a rough guide built from syllable count and how common each word is in our word list, not a grade-level standard. Read each word, then its word sum.
Colors:prefixroot or basesuffix
Next: longer words (about grades 5 and 6)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| hyperlink | hyper (prefix)+link (root or base)→hyperlink | a link on a screen that takes you to another page |
| hyperlinks | hyper (prefix)+link (root or base)+s (suffix)→hyperlinks | more than one hyperlink |
| hypertext | hyper (prefix)+text (root or base)→hypertext | text on a screen with links to other text |
| hyperspace | hyper (prefix)+space (root or base)→hyperspace | a made-up space beyond ours in science fiction |
More words: hyperbole
Stretch: long or less common words (about grades 7 and 8)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| hyperactive | hyper (prefix)+active (root or base)→hyperactive | much more active than usual |
| hyperactivity | hyper (prefix)+active (root or base)+ity (suffix)→hyperactivitydrop the e | being much more active than usual |
| hypersensitive | hyper (prefix)+sensitive (root or base)→hypersensitive | much too sensitive |
| hyperventilate | hyper (prefix)+ventilate (root or base)→hyperventilate | breathe too fast |
| hypercritical | hyper (prefix)+critical (root or base)→hypercritical | finding too much fault |
How do you teach the prefix hyper-?
Hyper- is a Greek prefix meaning over or too much. Students hear hyper as a word on its own, as in "the dog is so hyper," so they already have the meaning: more than normal. Build from there to hyperactive and hypersensitive. Then show hyperlink, a link that jumps beyond the page you are on. That one surprises students, and surprise helps memory.
A quick routine
Ask, "What does it mean when someone says a puppy is hyper?" Write hyperactive and say, "Hyper means over, or too much. Active plus hyper is too active." Have the student read hypersensitive, hypercritical and hyperventilate and say, "Too..." for each. Then talk for a minute about hyperlink and why a link that jumps across pages fits.
What do students mix up with hyper-?
Hyper- and hypo- look nearly the same but mean opposite things. Hyper- is over, hypo- is under: hypothermia is a body too cold, under normal heat. Students only need hypo- in a few science words, so teach hyper- first and mention hypo- when it shows up. Read the fourth letter carefully.
Some of these words change spelling where the parts join. The spelling rules pages cover dropping e, doubling and changing y to i. For the sounds inside these words, see the phonics word lists. Routines that fit: meanings of prefixes and suffixes, circle the parts, read the base and flexible routine for big words.
Questions people ask
What does the prefix hyper- mean?
Hyper- means "over, or too much". It is a Greek prefix. A Greek prefix with a meaning close to Latin super-. It often signals more than is normal: hyperactive.
What are some words with the prefix hyper-?
Start with hyperlink, hyperlinks, hypertext and hyperspace. Then move to hyperactive and hyperactivity. This page lists 10 words in all, most with a word sum that shows the parts.
What is the difference between hyper- and hypo-?
They are opposites. Hyper- means over or too much (hyperactive). Hypo- means under or too little (hypothermia, a body temperature that is too low). Only one letter separates them, so read carefully.
Related word parts
- super-above, over, or more than usual
- over-too much, or above
- ultra-beyond
- -ivetending to, or having the quality of
- -itythe state or quality of
Terms on this page: morpheme, root, prefix, suffix, base word, word sum, morphology.
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