hypercorrect

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Back-formation from hypercorrection.

Adjective

hypercorrect (comparative more hypercorrect, superlative most hypercorrect)

  1. (grammar) Nonstandard because of a mistaken idea of standard usage.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

hypercorrect (third-person singular simple present hypercorrects, present participle hypercorrecting, simple past and past participle hypercorrected)

  1. (transitive) To change (a word or phrase) to a nonstandard form in the mistaken belief that it is standard usage.
    • 2007 October 28, William Safire, “And Now This”, in New York Times:
      I use reduplicate to mean redouble, though both words should mean quadruple, but English is funny that way, so hold off on the hypercorrecting gotcha!

Further reading


French

Pronunciation

  • (mute h) IPA(key): /i.pɛʁ.kɔ.ʁɛkt/

Adjective

hypercorrect (feminine hypercorrecte, masculine plural hypercorrects, feminine plural hypercorrectes)

  1. hypercorrect

Further reading

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