Word: ebullient (adjective)

Associations

"Ebullient" means very happy, excited, and full of energy. It describes a person or mood that is cheerful and lively.

• She was ebullient after hearing the good news. (She was very happy and excited.)
• The ebullient crowd cheered loudly at the concert. (The crowd was full of energy and joy.)
• His ebullient personality makes him fun to be around. (He is always lively and enthusiastic.)

Synonym: "enthusiastic" is close, but "ebullient" often suggests a bubbling, overflowing happiness, like boiling water, while "enthusiastic" is more about strong interest or eagerness.

Substitution

You can use words like:

• joyful (focuses on happiness)
• exuberant (also means very energetic and happy, similar to ebullient)
• cheerful (more calm and steady happiness) Changing the word changes the feeling slightly; "ebullient" is more energetic and lively than just "cheerful."

Deconstruction

The word "ebullient" comes from Latin "ebullire," which means "to bubble out" or "to boil over."

• Prefix: "e-" means "out"
• Root: "bullire" means "to boil" So, "ebullient" literally means "boiling out," like emotions bubbling out strongly.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you felt ebullient? What made you feel that way?
• How is "ebullient" different from just being "happy" or "excited"?
• Can you describe a person you know who is always ebullient? What do they do that shows this?