effusive

adjective

ef·​fu·​sive i-ˈfyü-siv 

e-,

-ziv

1

: marked by the expression of great or excessive emotion or enthusiasm

effusive praise

2

archaic : pouring freely

3

: characterized or formed by a nonexplosive outpouring of lava

effusive rocks

effusively adverb

effusiveness noun

Did you know?

Effusive History Is Overflowing

We've used effusive in English to describe excessive outpourings since the 17th century. In the 1800s, geologists adopted the specific sense related to flowing lava—or to hardened rock formed from flowing lava. Effusive can be traced, via the Medieval Latin adjective effūsīvus ("generating profusely, lavish"), to the Latin verb effundere ("to pour out"), which itself comes from fundere ("to pour") plus a modification of the prefix ex- ("out"). Our verb effuse has the same Latin ancestors. A person effuses when speaking effusively. Liquids can effuse as well, as in "water effusing from a pipe."

Synonyms

• demonstrative
• emotional
• touchy-feely
• uninhibited
• unreserved
• unrestrained

Examples of effusive in a Sentence

They offered effusive thanks for our help.

often effusive no matter what the occasion, they are even more so at weddings and funerals

Recent Examples on the Web

Musk’s army of fanboys on X was as effusive as ever, but outside the hard-core Tesla bubble, the SUV was met with a flood of Nazi jokes following Musk’s Sieg heil–ish arm gesture at Trump’s inauguration. —Patrick George, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2025

Though Swift was a strong Kamala Harris supporter during last year’s election and attack online by Trump, the Chiefs’ Kelce was effusive over the president coming to Sunday’s Super Bowl. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 7 Feb. 2025

Elsewhere, the reaction from Silicon Valley was less effusive. —John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025

President Trump is effusive about TikTok's economic promise, and there's nothing legally stopping him from trying to buy it. —Lucinda Shen, Axios, 3 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin effūsīvus "generating profusely, lavish," from Latin effūsus (past participle of effundere "to pour out, discharge, expend") + -īvus -ive — more at effuse entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1687, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

effusive

adjective

ef·​fu·​sive i-ˈfyü-siv 

e-,

-ziv

: expressing or showing much emotion

effusive thanks for their anniversary present

effusively adverb

effusiveness noun