Hypo vs. Hyper
The English language uses many prefixes, suffixes, and word parts (often borrowed from other languages) to denote various concepts. Hypo and hyper are two Greek prefixes that change the meaning of a word drastically. Let's look at these two prefixes that are actually antonyms, or words that mean the opposite.
Hypo is a Greek prefix meaning low or under.
1. My mother is hypoglycemic, which means that sometimes her blood sugar gets low and she has to make sure she eats small meals regularly.
2. Have you ever known anyone who had hypothyroidism, meaning their thyroid did not work properly?
3. When the mountain climbers were stranded during the blizzard, hypothermia became a real danger, and they did everything they could to keep their body temperatures up.
Hyper is a Greek prefix that means high or over. It has the opposite meaning of hypo.
1. When the child found out he was going to Disney World, he began to hyperventilate, and his mom had to tell him to slow his breathing down.
2. Wow! I did not mean to hurt Jen's feelings, but she is very hypersensitive this week.
3. Did you know that the literary term hyperbole means to exaggerate?
As you can see, these two words mean the opposite. If hypoglycemia is low blood sugar, then hyperglycemia is high blood sugar. If hyperventilate means breathing too rapidly, then hypoventilation means breathing too slowly.
You can easily remember which is which by thinking about what it means to be hyper. If someone is hyper, they are overly active and their energy level is high.
|
Related Links: Difference between Words Science Related Words Difference and Comparison |