ebullient

adjective

ebul·​lient i-ˈbu̇l-yənt 

-ˈbəl-

1

: boiling, agitated

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

But the ebullient Iranian response to the bargain offers a reminder of the power of diplomacy. —Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 27 Nov. 2013

Star’s promenade to the front door was greeted by two people: Maria Liang, the owner of the studio, at the front desk, and Ma, the ebullient manager known for his effusive and encouraging manner, at the deejay/cashier booth. —Joanna Slater, Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2023

But the ebullient economic environment that helped foster this entrepreneurial spirit has given way to high inflation, rising interest rates and dwindling savings. —Sydney Ember, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2023

Six decades out, Niemeyer’s structures retain an ebullient optimism. —Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2023

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

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