Ebullience
noun /ɪˈbʌl.i.əns/ — Enthusiastic, high-spirited, irrepressible energy
Definition
The quality of being cheerful, enthusiastic, and irrepressibly high-spirited — energy that spills over its container, that cannot be held back or subdued.
Beyond the definition
Joy that boils over. Ebullience is enthusiasm that has no self-consciousness — it has not yet learned to moderate itself for the comfort of others. It is infectious precisely because it is unguarded.
Origin & history
From Latin 'ebullire' (to boil over, bubble up) — 'e-' (out) + 'bullire' (to boil). Related to 'bubble' and 'boil'. The chemistry of high spirits — heat that produces visible, upward movement.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Her ebullience was genuine — not performed enthusiasm but the real thing, which made it impossible to resist.
The puppy's ebullience was exhausting and completely disarming — it had not yet learned that some moments call for restraint.
Great teachers often have a natural ebullience — not cheerfulness exactly, but an energy about their subject that is contagious.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Ebullience” when the meaning fits your context: The quality of being cheerful, enthusiastic, and irrepressibly high-spirited — energy that spills over its container, that cannot be held back or subdued.
Synonyms
exuberance, vivacity, enthusiasm, effervescence, high spirits
Antonyms
lethargy, apathy, restraint
Related words
Word in the Wild
Illustrative story: an imagined scene, not a documented event or interview.
She entered the meeting already talking. Not loudly — just with a quality of presence, a readiness, as though she had been in conversation with herself all the way up the stairs.
By the end of the first five minutes everyone had uncrossed their arms and someone had moved closer to the table.
"She doesn't take up space," a colleague said afterwards. "She fills it." The distinction is real: taking up space is about you; filling it is something you do for the room.
Questions about this word
What does "Ebullience" mean?
Ebullience is noun meaning: Enthusiastic, high-spirited, irrepressible energy. The quality of being cheerful, enthusiastic, and irrepressibly high-spirited — energy that spills over its container, that cannot be held back or subdued.
Where does the word "Ebullience" come from?
From Latin 'ebullire' (to boil over, bubble up) — 'e-' (out) + 'bullire' (to boil). Related to 'bubble' and 'boil'. The chemistry of high spirits — heat that produces visible, upward movement.