Hyperhydrated

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Containing more than the normal amount of water, especially in the body, tissues or cells
2. Having an abnormally high level of fluid absorbed or retained within living tissue or a cell
3. Describing a person, organism or substance that has taken in an excessive quantity of water

Etymology: "Hyperhydrated" is the past tense and past participle of "hyperhydrate", which is formed from the prefix "hyper-" meaning "over, excessive" and the verb "hydrate". "Hydrate" comes from the Greek "hydor", meaning water, and in chemistry it names the act of combining a substance with water, so a hyperhydrated thing has taken on more water than is normal. The prefix does the work here: "hyper-" is a classical Greek element meaning "over" or "beyond", and it has been attached to many scientific and medical terms in English. Adding it to "hydrate" gives a sense of excess water rather than simple moistening.