excitation

noun

ex·​ci·​ta·​tion ˌek-ˌsī-ˈtā-shən  ˌek-sə- 

: excitement

especially : the disturbed or altered condition resulting from stimulation of an individual, organ, tissue, or cell

Examples of excitation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And if the atom is currently interacting with another, this excitation frequency shifts slightly so that the electron won’t resonate with the light and won’t be able to make the jump. —Philip Ball, Quanta Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024

What captivated him then were chameleons—reptiles that change color for camouflage or to indicate excitation, rivalry, or submission. —Rebecca Giggs, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024

One such topological excitation, called a skyrmion, has been observed in multiple materials. —IEEE Spectrum, 23 Dec. 2023

Recall that electrons and holes—the charge carriers in a semiconductor—normally exist in a minute quantity in an undoped semiconductor, as a result of thermal excitation at room temperature. —Sid Assawaworrarit, IEEE Spectrum, 25 Nov. 2023

Unfortunately, hydrophobia is a later symptom of rabies, occurring during what’s known as the excitation phase, which is followed by the inevitably fatal paralytic phase. —Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 3 Oct. 2023

With pulses that short, observers can harness a free-electron laser to see individual atoms in motion, molecules making and breaking bonds, and even electron orbitals in excitation. —IEEE Spectrum, 26 Sep. 2023

Because antennas need to be sized based on the excitation wavelength used to stimulate them, using nanometer-wavelength laser light allows for much smaller chips compared to RFID tags, which are millimeters to centimeters in size. —IEEE Spectrum, 8 Sep. 2023

However this creates a problem because the brain must maintain a delicate balance between excitation and inhibition. —Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2012

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

excitation

noun

ex·​ci·​ta·​tion ˌek-ˌsī-ˈtā-shən 

ˌek-sə-

: excitement sense 1

especially : the activity or change in condition resulting from stimulation of an individual, organ, tissue, or cell

Medical Definition

excitation

noun

ex·​ci·​ta·​tion ˌek-ˌsī-ˈtā-shən  ˌek-sə- 

: excitement: as

a

: the disturbed or altered condition resulting from arousal of activity (as by neural or electrical stimulation) in an individual organ or tissue

b

: the arousing of such activity