ebullient

adjective

ebul·​lient i-ˈbu̇l-yənt How to pronounce ebullient (audio)
-ˈbəl-
1
2
: characterized by ebullience : having or showing liveliness and enthusiasm
ebullient performers
ebulliently adverb

Did you know?

Someone who is ebullient is bubbling over with enthusiasm, so it shouldn't be much of a surprise that ebullient comes from the Latin verb ebullire, which means "to bubble out." When ebullient was first used in the late 1500s its meaning hewed closely to its Latin source: ebullient meant "boiling" or "bubbling," and described things like boiling water and boiling oil instead of someone's bubbly personality. Only later did the word's meaning broaden beyond describing the liveliness of a boiling liquid to encompass emotional liveliness and enthusiasm.

Examples of ebullient in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Tannins quiet; acidity ebullient. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025 The flavors include chewy dark fudge and biltong bathed in ebullient acidity. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025 As Philadelphia systematically destroyed Kansas City on Sunday, Eagles fans were no doubt too … ebullient to pay much attention to the ads, while Chiefs supporters no doubt spent the commercial breaks bargaining with God or dousing themselves with Arthur Bryant‘s Barbecue Sauce for luck. Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2025 Meanwhile, opening night at The Ray drew an ebullient crowd, cheerfully chatting outside the venue despite the cold. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ebullient

Word History

Etymology

Latin ebullient-, ebulliens, present participle of ebullire to bubble out, from e- + bullire to bubble, boil — more at boil

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ebullient was in 1599

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Cite this Entry

“Ebullient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ebullient. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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