noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   A greater than normal (evolutionary) adaptation. uncountable, usually
2. 2
   The overapplication of phonological adaptations from one language variety to another beyond what is justified by the etymological correspondences between the two varieties, resulting in artificial, ahistorical forms that are not part of either variety; sometimes done as a form of exaggeration for stylistic effect. uncountable, usually
3. 3
   A term coined via this process. uncountable, usually

Synonyms

All synonyms

hyperdialectalismhyperdialectism

Etymology

From hyper- + adaptation.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.