histrionic

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The Word of the Day for January 10 is: 

histrionic   \his-tree-AH-nik\   adjective
    *1 : deliberately affected : theatrical 
     2 : of or relating to actors, acting, or the theater 

Example sentence:
     Professor Dawson's histrionic flair may have been excessive, but it 
certainly made his history lectures entertaining.

Did you know?
     The term "histrionic" developed from "histrio," Latin for "actor." 
Something that is "histrionic" tends to remind one of the high drama of stage 
and screen and is often stagy and over-the-top. It especially calls to mind the 
theatrical form known as the "melodrama," where plot and physical action, not 
characterization, are emphasized. But something that is "histrionic" isn't 
always overdone; the word might simply refer to an actor or something related 
to the theater. In that sense, it becomes a synonym of "thespian."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. 





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