adjective

hysterical

hih-STAIR-ih-kuhl/hɪˈsterɪkl/

Overcome by uncontrollable emotional excitement.

The friends become hysterical with laughter while watching the absurd puppet show.

Mixed-age friends laugh uncontrollably at an absurd puppet show, extremely funny sense, no mocking disability.

Etymology

hysterGreekwomb

+icGreekrelating to

+alEnglishrelating to

The “womb” root reflects the obsolete belief that hysteria arose from uterine dysfunction; the word broadened to uncontrolled emotion. The “extremely funny” sense developed from the idea of uncontrollable fits of laughter.

In context

Persian Bunny18:16

And the guy put his background as like the lecture theater and he's like in the middle of lecture theater. And like it was just the most funny hysterical thing

JUNIOR DOCTOR VLOG: WORKING IN LOCKDOWN

More examples

The fans grow hysterical with excitement as their team wins.
He was hysterical with grief and could barely speak.
Her voice grows hysterical as the argument gets louder.

Forms

hysterical · more hysterical · most hysterical

hysterically adverb — In an emotionally uncontrolled, intensely excited manner.

hysteria noun — A state of uncontrollable emotion or excitement.

Similar words

frantic: Emphasizes desperate urgency or panic, often shown through activity.
distraught: Emphasizes deep distress without necessarily implying loss of control.
frenzied: Emphasizes wild, uncontrolled activity rather than emotion alone.