Hyperbolic vs Hyperbolical

Question

I just looked up the word "hyperbolic" in the 3rd edition of "The New Oxford American Dictionary", and the second definition says "(of language) exaggerated; hyperbolical."

When I go to hyperbolical, it says that is the adjective form of hyperbole.

Which is the more correct term to use? I have heard hyperbolic a few times, but never hyperbolical.

Duplicate of http://english.stackexchange.com/q/6581. – tchrist Apr 12 '15 at 18:42 — tchrist, Apr 12 '15 at 18:42

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 12 '15 at 19:30

'Hyperbolic' is definitely correct for the maths, geometry, and science. The terms examples are:

hyperbolic function
hyperbolic trajectory
hyperbolic equilibrium

'Hyperbolic' is also correct for exaggeration.

'Hyperbolical' is rarely used, you can only find that in dictionaries, all the spellcheckers mark it as a mistake.

This word is used in a form different from 'hyperbolic' only as an adverb, 'hyperbolically', which is the only adverbial form possible.

So, this form, 'hyperbolical' is not a mistake, it is just rare and 'deprecated'.

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 12 '15 at 22:04

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I have never encountered a natural instance of the adjective hyperbolical. But I can attest hyperbolic is preferred in geometry. I imaging hyperbolical is to hyperbole ad hyperbolic is to hyperbola

answered Apr 12 '15 at 22:04

Daron

1,586

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Aug 09 '19 at 12:12

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One of America's founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson used the term hyperbolical in a letter, he wrote to John Adams on October 28, 1813. In that letter he wrote of an acquaintance, that this individual had hyperbolical ideas. Surely by now you know that you can NEVER say never and be right!

edited Aug 09 '19 at 12:12

Community

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answered Oct 01 '17 at 13:20

D. Sanford

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The question was 'Which is the more correct term to use?' Though Jefferson was doubtless a paragon, he's now out of office. Modelling our English over-enthusiastically on that of Shakespeare or Elizabeth I nowadays would not be wise. – Edwin Ashworth Oct 01 '17 at 14:14
Our? I thought this was the world wide web. – David Oct 01 '17 at 16:36

score -1 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 12 '15 at 18:50

-1

"Hyperbolic" is mostly used in geometry, the other in the rest.

answered Apr 12 '15 at 18:50

Marius Hancu

7,714

Hyperbolic vs Hyperbolical

4 Answers4