Ecstatic has been used in our language since the late 16th century, and the noun ecstasy is even older, dating from the 1300s. Both derive from the Greek verb existanai ("to put out of place"), which was used in a Greek phrase meaning "to drive someone out of his or her mind." That seems an appropriate history for words that can describe someone who is nearly out of their mind with intense emotion. In early use, ecstatic was sometimes linked to mystic trances, out-of-body experiences, and temporary madness. Today, however, it typically implies a state of enthusiastic excitement or intense happiness.
AdjectiveA few religious denominations—Pentecostalism, for example—still offer a collective ecstatic experience, as did rock culture at its height. But the ecstatic religions tend to be marginal, and rock has been tamed for commercial consumption … Barbara Ehrenreich, Civilization, June/July 2000… in dietary terms we are veritable troglodytes (which, speaking personally, is all right by me). I think this explains a lot, not least my expanding sense of dismay as the waiter bombarded us with ecstatic descriptions of roulades, ratatouilles, empanadas, langostinos … and goodness knows what else. Bill Bryson, I'm a Stranger Here Myself, 1999 He was ecstatic when he heard that he was going to be a father. a football player who was ecstatic upon receiving a full athletic scholarship to the college of his choice
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Takkenberg was ecstatic when, by the midyear check-in, van Ruitenbeek had uncovered six. Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 7 Sep. 2022 Coming full-circle in her career, Ferguson was ecstatic when she was given the opportunity to work with McQuarrie – who directed her favorite movie, The Usual Suspects. Jodi Guglielmi, Peoplemag, 4 Sep. 2022 Chinese state media covered the exercises breathlessly, and the response from much of Chinese social media was ecstatic. Vivian Wang, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Aug. 2022 Selling Sunset fans were delighted when the costars revealed their relationship in July 2021, and even more ecstatic when the show's season 5 trailer teased an inside look at the romance. Jessica Sager, PEOPLE.com, 22 Apr. 2022 Of course, when it was announced that the novel would be turned into a film, fans were beyond ecstatic. Chaise Sanders, Country Living, 26 Feb. 2022 While some Northeast Ohio residents may gripe about shoveling out from a big snowstorm, skiers couldn’t be more ecstatic. Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, 15 Feb. 2022 Michael Browning, the Regional Director for Speedway, was ecstatic one of its customers won the historic jackpot. Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 26 Aug. 2022 After posting snapshots of her spending time with family at Dollywood, people are ecstatic to see the Grammy-winning singer enjoy a bit of normalcy between performances and touring. Chaise Sanders, Country Living, 20 Aug. 2022
Noun
Derrick Levasseur is pretty much ecstatic about his experience on season 16 of Big Brother. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 21 June 2022 Tarantino recently waxed ecstatic about one of his favorite filmmakers, Sergio Corbucci, in director Luca Rea’s documentary Django & Django. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2022 The collective energy was suddenly charged and borderline ecstatic. Doug Bierend, Outside Online, 10 Mar. 2021 Chuck and Janie Hadley, who have lived in the neighborhood for 22 years, were nothing short of ecstatic to be in attendance. Callan Tansill-suddath, baltimoresun.com, 11 Nov. 2021 In neither case was his audience ecstatic about his pronouncement.BostonGlobe.com, 9 July 2021 When the studio finally offered her the part, Hathaway was beyond ecstatic. Gabrielle Chung, PEOPLE.com, 14 June 2021 Count Oddo among those ecstatic that Louisville will be part of it. Shannon Russell, The Courier-Journal, 25 May 2021 Butler couldn't get off a shot on Miami's possession, sending the Bucks fans at Fiserv Forum home ecstatic. Ben Steele, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 22 May 2021 See More
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
borrowed from Medieval Latin ecstaticus, extaticus, borrowed from Greek ekstatikós "inclined to depart from, out of one's senses, causing mental derangement," from eksta-, stem of existánai "to displace, confound," exístasthai "to be astonished, lose consciousness" + -t-, verbal adjective suffix (after statós "standing") + -ikos-ic entry 1 — more at ecstasy