excitable

/ɛkˈsaɪɾəbəl/

/ɛkˈsaɪtəbəl/

Other forms: excitably

Someone who's excitable easily becomes excited, enthusiastic, or eager. A five-year-old will be especially excitable at her own birthday party.

When you describe someone as excitable, you'll usually mean it as a mild criticism — the person is easily overstimulated, and becomes excited far too readily. Passing out candy in an elementary school classroom — or bacon among a bunch of puppies — will demonstrate just how excitable a group can be. Excitable comes from the Latin excitabilis, "inciting or animating," from excitare, "stir up" or "awaken."

Definitions of excitable

1. adjective

   easily excited
   synonyms:

   high-keyed

   (of persons) excitable

   quick, warm

   easily aroused or excited

   flighty, nervous, skittish, spooky

   unpredictably excitable (especially of horses)

   antonyms:

   unexcitable

   not easily excited

   steady

   not easily excited or upset
2. adjective

   capable of responding to stimuli
   synonyms: irritable

   sensitive

   responsive to physical stimuli