effusive

adjective

ef·fu·sive | \ i-ˈfyü-siv,

e-, -ziv\

Definition of effusive

1 : marked by the expression of great or excessive emotion or enthusiasm effusive praise

2 archaic : pouring freely

3 : characterized or formed by a nonexplosive outpouring of lava effusive rocks

Other Words from effusive Synonyms & Antonyms Effusive History Is Overflowing More Example Sentences Learn More about effusive

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Effusive History Is Overflowing

We've used "effusive" in English to describe excessive outpourings since the 17th century. In the 1800s, geologists adopted the specific sense related to flowing lava-or to hardened rock formed from flowing lava. "Effusive" can be traced to the Latin verb effundere ("to pour out"), which itself comes from "fundere" ("to pour") plus a modification of the prefix ex- ("out"). Our verb "effuse" has the same Latin ancestors. A person effuses when he or she speaks effusively. Liquids can effuse as well (as in "water effusing from a pipe").

Examples of effusive in a Sentence

They offered effusive thanks for our help. often effusive no matter what the occasion, my aunt is even more so at weddings and funerals

Recent Examples on the Web

Ronaldo himself, currently on vacation in Greece, was no less effusive. — Rory Smith, New York Times, "Ronaldo Leaves Real Madrid to Join Juventus," 10 July 2018 Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press Mr. Corker has irritated Blackburn allies by showering praise on Mr. Bredesen, a close friend and longtime political ally, while offering a less effusive endorsement for Ms. Blackburn. — Janet Hook, WSJ, "The Battle for the Senate Runs Through Tennessee," 9 May 2018 Madden, the expert on North Korean leadership, says Pyongyang is often effusive in its praise when meetings go well. — Joshua Berlinger And Paula Hancocks, CNN, "North Korean state media praises 'historic' Kim-Moon summit," 28 Apr. 2018 Paul is effusive and almost bubbly, while Fred is more taciturn and tends to let Paul run, interrupting only when corrections are necessary. — Lee Hutchinson, Ars Technica, "Video: How Star Control II was almost a much more boring game," 23 Oct. 2018 Franza was particularly effusive about the Teams' Surface Hubs. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, "NASCAR’s high-tech world: Leave any preconceptions behind for this deep-dive," 31 May 2018 And one of them was Abigail Spencer, a close friend of Markle's who's been effusive about her relationship with the new Duchess of Sussex. — Megan Friedman, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle’s Friend Abigail Spencer Has Said the Sweetest Things About Her," 20 May 2018 Following the performance, Cowell remained effusive. — Randy Cordova, azcentral, "Arizona's PAC Dance Team wows 'America's Got Talent' judges," 11 July 2018 If all of this sounds effusive, that's because this really is a cracking little car. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, "All highs, no lows: The 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata," 7 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'effusive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.