Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

exaggerative

 - 2 dictionary results

ex⋅ag⋅ger⋅a⋅tive

[ig-zaj-uh-rey-tiv, -er-uh-tiv]
–adjective
tending to exaggerate; involving or characterized by exaggeration.
Also, ex⋅ag⋅ger⋅a⋅to⋅ry [ig-zaj-er-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] .


Origin:
1790–1800; exaggerate + -ive


ex⋅ag⋅ger⋅a⋅tive⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To exaggerative
ex·ag·ger·ate   (ĭg-zāj'ə-rāt')   
v.   ex·ag·ger·at·ed, ex·ag·ger·at·ing, ex·ag·ger·ates

v.   tr.
  1. To represent as greater than is actually the case; overstate: exaggerate the size of the enemy force; exaggerated his own role in the episode.

  2. To enlarge or increase to an abnormal degree: thick lenses that exaggerated the size of her eyes.

v.   intr.
To make overstatements.

[Latin exaggerāre, exaggerāt-, to heap up, magnify : ex-, intensive pref.; see ex- + aggerāre, to pile up (from agger, pile, from aggerere, to bring to : ad-, ad- + gerere, to bring).]
ex·ag'ger·at'ed·ly adv., ex·ag'ger·a'tion n., ex·ag'ger·a'tive, ex·ag'ger·a·to'ry (-ə-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē) adj., ex·ag'ger·a'tor n.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to represent something as being larger or greater than it actually is: exaggerated the size of the fish I caught; inflated his own importance; magnifying her part in their success; overstated his income on the loan application.
Antonym: minimize
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see exaggerative on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: