excite

Forms

present (v1): excite
past (v2): excited
past participle (v3): excited
present participle: exciting
3rd person singular: excites

Definitions

1.To stir the emotions of; to cause to feel excitement.
- The fireworks which opened the festivities excited anyone present.
2.To arouse or bring out (e.g. feelings); to stimulate.
- The political reforms excited unrest among the population.
- Smugglers operating secretly so as not to excite suspicion.
- Favoritism tends to excite jealousy in the ones not being favored.
3.To cause an electron to move to a higher than normal state; to promote an electron to an outer level.
- By applying electric potential to the neon atoms, the electrons become excited, then emit a photon when returning to normal.
4.To energize (an electromagnet); to produce a magnetic field in.

Frequency

Overall

Rare· #4719

By learning goal

Everyday conversation: Rare
General reading & writing: Rare
Academic: Rare
Literature: Rare

Related words

Word family

Etymology

From Middle English exciten, from Old French exciter, from Latin excitō (“to call out, call forth, arouse, wake up, stimulate”), frequentative of excieō (“to call out, arouse, excite”), from ex (“out”) + cieō (“to call, summon”).

See cite and compare to accite, concite, incite.