exhilarate

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪɡˈzɪləˌɹeɪt/ UK /ɪɡˈzɪləɹeɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #242883

Meanings

1

verb
To make someone feel very happy, excited, and full of energy.

The fast downhill ski run exhilarated everyone in the group.
2

verb
To cheer someone up and lift their mood.

The good news exhilarated the whole team.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to make someone feel very... thrill excite electrify animate

2 verb · to cheer someone up and... cheer gladden brighten elate

Word family

Forms exhilaratedexhilarates

Derived forms exhilarantexhilaratingexhilaratinglyexhilarationexhilarativeexhilaratorexhilaratory

Related forms hilarious hilariously hilariousness hilarity hilary

Simplified etymology

Exhilarate comes from Latin exhilarare, “to make cheerful,” based on hilaris, “cheerful.” Hilarity derives from the same Latin word.

Etymology

From Latin exhilarō (“to delight, to gladden, to make merry”), from ex- (“out, away”) (from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs (“out”)) + hilarō (“to cheer, to gladden”), from hilaris (“cheerful, light-hearted, lively”), from Ancient Greek ἱλαρός (hilarós, “cheerful, merry”), from ἵλαος (hílaos, “gracious, kind, propitious”), from Proto-Indo-European *selh₂- (“comfort, mercy”). By surface analysis, ex- + Latin hilar(ō) + -ate.

exhilarō Latin *h₁eǵʰs Proto-Indo-European ἱλαρός Ancient Greek *selh₂- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# exhilarate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪɡˈzɪləˌɹeɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪɡˈzɪləɹeɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 242883

## Meanings
1. To make someone feel very happy, excited, and full of energy.
2. To cheer someone up and lift their mood.

## Examples
- The fast downhill ski run exhilarated everyone in the group.
- The good news exhilarated the whole team.

## Derived Forms
- exhilarant
- exhilarating
- exhilaratingly
- exhilaration
- exhilarative
- exhilarator
- exhilaratory

## Related Forms
- hilarious
- hilariously
- hilariousness
- hilarity
- hilary

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: exhilarō
- Root: *h₁eǵʰs
- Root: ἱλαρός
- Root: *selh₂-

## Etymology
From Latin exhilarō (“to delight, to gladden, to make merry”), from ex- (“out, away”) (from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs (“out”)) + hilarō (“to cheer, to gladden”), from hilaris (“cheerful, light-hearted, lively”), from Ancient Greek ἱλαρός (hilarós, “cheerful, merry”), from ἵλαος (hílaos, “gracious, kind, propitious”), from Proto-Indo-European *selh₂- (“comfort, mercy”). By surface analysis, ex- + Latin hilar(ō) + -ate.

## AI Etymology
Exhilarate is from Latin exhilarō (“to delight, to gladden, to make merry”), from ex- (“out, away”) (from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs (“out”)) + hilarō (“to cheer, to gladden”), from hilaris (“cheerful, light-hearted, lively”), from Ancient Greek ἱλαρός (hilarós, “cheerful, merry”), from ἵλαος (hílaos, “gracious, kind, propitious”), from Proto-Indo-European *selh₂- (“comfort, mercy”). By surface analysis, ex- + Latin hilar(ō) + -ate. In present-day use, it can mean to make someone feel very happy, excited, and full of energy, or to cheer someone up and lift their mood. Derived formations include exhilarant, exhilarating, exhilaratingly, exhilaration, and exhilarative.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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