myEtymology.com: English etymology of hyperbole

Etymology of the English word hyperbole

the English word hyperbole

derived from the Latin word hyperbole (exaggeration, hyperbole, overstatement)

derived from the Greek word huperbole, ὑπερβολή (a throwing beyond others; supereminence; adverbially pre- eminently)

using the Greek prefix huper-, ὑπερ-

derived from the Greek word huper, ὑπέρ

derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *uper

derived from the Greek word bole, βολή (a throw (as a measure of distance))

derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʷelə-

derived from the Greek word ballein, βάλλω (to throw)

derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʷelə-

The earliest known usage of hyperbole in English dates from the 16th century.

Dutch hyperbool, French hyperbole, German Hyperbel, Lithuanian hiperbole, Norwegian hyperbel, Swedish hyperbel

Word found in Modern English