- This word is mainly used in short expressions like, “Get hype,” and “I’m so hype.” It would never be used in a more elevated expression like, “The professor is extraordinarily hype about today’s lecture on quantum mechanics.” The speaker potentially chose this word because it sounds cooler than hyper, which in English now has a somewhat negative connotation.
hype1
adjective clipping, derivation
A state of mind in which a person is very excited about something; does not necessarily imply visible excitement, although it includes this state, as well
Etymology : Hype comes from the Greek prefix hyper- meaning “over, above, beyond measure,” which in turn comes from Proto-Indo-European uper- meaning “over.” In English, the prefix hyper- also means “over, above, beyond” and is applied most commonly to words like hyperactive. Because this word is relatively prevalent, the speaker probably reunderstood hyper- to mean “extremely energized” and then clipped it and used it on its own to just mean “excitement.”
Source : “Are you ready for Orc Raid tonight? […] Yeah, I’m so hype!” -O-Week advisors, in conversation, August 2016
Last modified: 4 December 2016