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A.Word.A.Day--histrionic

histrionic (his-tree-ON-ik) adjective

1. Of or pertaining to actors, acting, or theater.

2. Overly dramatic or affected.

[From Late Latin histrionicus, from Latin histrion-, histrio (actor).]

"The playwright's intent together with his moral input ignored, a drama of great depth is trivialized. An unbearably boring, histrionic horror takes its place." Naomi Doudai, Histrionic Horror, The Jerusalem Post, Sep 7, 1999

"Eventually, Dickens fused his talents in the public readings from his own novels, which dominated his last years, in the course of which he astounded huge crowds on both sides of the Atlantic with his histrionic genius." Simon Callow, To Be a Shape-Shifting Cast of One, The New York Times, Apr 21, 2002.

This week's theme: words that appear misleading.

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