Hyperreactor

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A system or device that reacts with increased fervor to stimuli
2. A mechanism exhibiting an unusually strong response to inputs or conditions
3. An apparatus characterized by its heightened sensitivity and intensive reaction to external triggers

Etymology: "Hyperreactor" is a transparent compound. "Hyper-" comes from the Greek "huper," meaning "over" or "beyond," and is joined to "reactor." That word comes from "react," which traces to the Latin "reagere," meaning "to act back," built from "re-" ("back") and "agere" ("to drive, to do"). Together the parts describe something that acts back too strongly. The "reactor" element keeps the general sense of something that responds to a stimulus. Its better-known modern use, for an apparatus where nuclear reactions occur, is a separate application of the same root. "Hyperreactor" takes the general responding sense and intensifies it, so the device it names is one that responds more than its designers intended.

Synonyms: overreactor