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histrionic

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his⋅tri⋅on⋅ic

[his-tree-on-ik]
–adjective Also, his⋅tri⋅on⋅i⋅cal.
1. of or pertaining to actors or acting.
2. deliberately affected or self-consciously emotional; overly dramatic, in behavior or speech.
–noun
3. an actor.

Origin:
1640–50; < LL histrōnicus of actors, equiv. to histriōn- (s. of histriō) actor (said to be < Etruscan) + -icus -ic


his⋅tri⋅on⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To histrionic
his·tri·on·ic   (hĭs'trē-ŏn'ĭk)   
adj.  
  1. Of or relating to actors or acting.

  2. Excessively dramatic or emotional; affected.


[Late Latin histriōnicus, from Latin histriō, histriōn-, actor, probably of Etruscan origin.]
his'tri·on'i·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

histrionic 
1648, from L. histrionicus "pertaining to an actor," from histrio (gen. histrionis) "actor," said to be of Etruscan origin.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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