Ecstasy
'ɛkstəsi
Definitions
2 meaningsAn overpowering feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement; a trance-like state of intense emotion or religious fervor.
'ɛkstəsi
An overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement.
The music transported them to a state of pure ecstasy.
💡 Simply: Imagine you won the lottery! That feeling of pure, amazing happiness? That's ecstasy! It's like your joy button is turned all the way up!
👶 For kids: Ecstasy is when you feel super, super happy, like the best feeling ever!
More Examples
She was in ecstasy after their team won the championship.
The artist described the feeling of creating as a form of ecstasy.
How It's Used
"She was in ecstasy after receiving the good news."
"The lovers felt transported to a realm of pure ecstasy."
A synthetic drug, usually MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine), that acts as a stimulant and hallucinogen and is used recreationally.
'ɛkstəsi
A euphoric drug
The police warned against the use of ecstasy at the music festival.
💡 Simply: Ecstasy, in the form of a drug, is a medicine that can have a strong influence on how someone feels and acts. However, its usage is dangerous.
👶 For kids: Ecstasy is a dangerous drug that can make you feel happy, but it's very bad for your body!
More Examples
The drug ecstasy can be very addictive.
The health risks associated with ecstasy are significant.
How It's Used
"The drug ecstasy can cause serious health problems."
"Many youths take ecstasy in social situations."
Idioms & expressions
in ecstasy
Experiencing a state of extreme happiness or joy.
"She was in ecstasy after she found out she got the job."
From Late Latin *ecstasis*, from Greek *ékstasis* meaning 'a displacement', from *eks- 'out' + *hístēmi* 'to set, place'. Originally referring to a state of being outside oneself, later associated with religious rapture and intense joy.
Historically, the word was often used in religious contexts to describe a mystical or trance-like state of intense religious devotion. The secular use to describe intense joy is a later development.
Memory tip
Imagine a person EX-STATing, going beyond their normal state, filled with intense joy.
Practice
Word Origin
Root: ékstasis