hypocoristic

hy·po·cor·ist·ic
H4Y4P3O1C3O1R1I1S1T1I1C3
/ˌhaɪ.pə.kəˈɹɪs.tɪk/

adjective

Relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy with the person.

OriginAncient Greek ὑποκοριστικός →
Scrabble 24
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Meanings

adjectivehypocoristic (comparative more hypocoristic, superlative most hypocoristic)

comparative more hypocoristic · superlative most hypocoristic

  1. human sciencesRelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy with the person.
  2. human sciencesRelating to baby talk.
nounhypocoristic (plural hypocoristics)

plural hypocoristics

  1. human sciencesA nickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through a shortening of the original name.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
hypocorismhypocoristical

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekὑποκοριστικός
  2. Englishhypocoristic

From Ancient Greek ὑποκοριστικός (hupokoristikós), from ὑποκορίζομαι (hupokorízomai, “to speak in the language of children”), from ὑπό (hupó, “below”) + κορίζομαι (korízomai, “to act like a girl”), from κόρη (kórē, “girl”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ὑποκοριστικός
  • ὑποκοριστικός (hupokoristikós)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
Bulgarian га́лен, га́лено и́ме
  • га́лен (gálen)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • га́лено и́ме (gáleno íme)nickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
Catalan hipocorístic, hipocorístic
  • hipocorísticrelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • hipocorísticnickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
Chinese Mandarin 表示親愛的 /表示亲爱的, 暱稱的 /昵称的
  • 表示親愛的 /表示亲爱的 (biǎoshì qīn'ài de)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • 暱稱的 /昵称的 (nìchēng de)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • 表愛的 /表爱的 (biǎo'ài de)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
Czech hypokoristikon
  • hypokoristikonnickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
Dutch hypocoristisch
  • hypocoristischrelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
Esperanto hipokoristika
  • hipokoristikarelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
Estonian hüpokorism
  • hüpokorismnickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
Finnish hypokoristinen, lempinimi
  • hypokoristinenrelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • lempiniminickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
French hypocoristique, hypocoristique
  • hypocoristiquerelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • hypocoristiquenickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
German hypokoristisch, Hypokoristikum
  • hypokoristischrelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • Hypokoristikumnickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
  • Hypokoristikonnickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
Greek υποκοριστικός, υποκοριστικό
  • υποκοριστικός (ypokoristikós)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • υποκοριστικό (ypokoristikó)nickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
Hungarian becéző, bece-
  • becézőrelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • bece-relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • becenévirelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • kicsinyítőrelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • hipokorisztikusrelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • becenévnickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
Irish hipocórasach, hipocórasach
  • hipocórasachrelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • hipocórasachnickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
Italian ipocoristico
  • ipocoristiconickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
Portuguese hipocorístico, hipocorístico
  • hipocorísticorelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • hipocorísticonickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
Russian гипокористи́ческий, ласка́тельный
  • гипокористи́ческий (gipokoristíčeskij)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • ласка́тельный (laskátelʹnyj)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • уменьши́тельный (umenʹšítelʹnyj)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • уменьши́тельно-ласка́тельный (umenʹšítelʹno-laskátelʹnyj)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
Spanish hipocorístico, hipocorístico
  • hipocorísticorelating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • hipocorísticonickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through shortening of the original name
Ukrainian пестли́вий, зме́ншувально-пестли́вий
  • пестли́вий (pestlývyj)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
  • зме́ншувально-пестли́вий (zménšuvalʹno-pestlývyj)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy
Yiddish היפּאָקאָריסטיק
  • היפּאָקאָריסטיק (hipokoristik)relating to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with hypocoristic

realisticcharacteristicholisticlinguisticmysticoptimisticballisticcysticfuturisticheuristicjournalisticpessimisticaltruisticatavisticsurrealisticmisticcannibalisticjingoistichubristicactivisticallisticArabisticAramaisticcriminalistic
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

hypocoristic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypocoristic

MLA

“hypocoristic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypocoristic. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hypocoristic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypocoristic.

Source: hypocoristic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.