ecstatic

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἐκστατικός (ekstatikós). Surface analysis: ecstasy + -atic.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛkˈstætɪk/
  • (file)

Adjective

ecstatic (comparative more ecstatic, superlative most ecstatic)

  1. Feeling or characterized by ecstasy.
    • 1837, Michael Ryan, The Philosophy of Marriage, in Its Social, Moral, and Physical Relations; with an Account of the Diseases of the Genito-urinary Organs which Impair or Destroy the Reproductive Function; and Induce a Variety of Complaints; with the Physiology of Generation in the Vegetable and Animal Kingdoms [...], London: John Churchill, Princes' Street, Soho, OCLC 243495533, page 191:
      The moment of ejaculation in mammiferous animals is accompanied by universal excitement of the whole body, a kind of slight convulsion, which terminates in a comatose or exstatic state.
  2. Extremely happy.
  3. Relating to, or caused by, ecstasy or excessive emotion.
    ecstatic gaze; ecstatic trance
    • Hammond
      this ecstatic fit of love and jealousy

Synonyms

Translations

Noun

ecstatic (plural ecstatics)

  1. (in the plural) Transports of delight; words or actions performed in a state of ecstasy.
    • 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, III.11:
      I think that Dante's more abstruse ecstatics / Meant to personify the Mathematics.
  2. A person in a state of ecstasy.
    • 1993, William A. Graham, Beyond the written word: oral aspects of scripture in the history of religion, Cambridge University Press:
      If there is anything that can be called protoscripture, it is surely the utterances of ecstatics, prophets and seers...
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