histrionic
pronunciation
How to pronounce histrionic in British English:
UK [ˌhɪstriˈɒnɪk]
How to pronounce histrionic in American English:
US [ˌhɪstriˈɑnɪk]
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- Adjective:
- characteristic of acting or a stage performance; often affected
Word Origin
- histrionic (adj.)
- "theatrical" (figuratively, "hypocritical"), 1640s, from Latin histrionicus "pertaining to an actor," from histrio (genitive histrionis) "actor," said to be of Etruscan origin. The literal sense in English is from 1759.
Example
- 1. Mid-term elections do not normally generate such histrionic imagery .
- 2. Many critics believe that he has the greatest histrionic talent of the century .
- 3. But as totalist pressures turn confession into recurrent command performances , the element of histrionic public display takes precedence over genuine inner experience .
- 4. The core symptom of histrionic personality disorder is attracting other 's attention .
- 5. Yet again , I find myself doubting tabloid claims of real mental illness and prefer to attribute bad behavior to spoiled narcissism or histrionic acting out .