excite
/ɪkˈsaɪt/
verb
Origin
Latin
excitare — to rouse, summon, or drive out
Overview
Meaning Now
- to arouse or stir up an emotion, response, or feeling
- to stimulate or activate a physiological or chemical process
- to provoke or instigate an action or reaction
Literal older meaning
to move out of or drive out
Language path
Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
excite
Earliest period
15th century
Journey
The word traces back to the Latin 'citare', which is related to the concept of 'calling' or 'summoning'. The prefix 'ex-' emphasizes the movement outward or the suddenness of the arousal.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
excitare
“to rouse, stir up, or summon”
Derived from ex- (out) and citare (to set in motion/call)
- Middle French
exciter
“to rouse or provoke”
Used to describe stirring up passions or movements
- Early Modern English
excite
“to rouse to action or stir up emotions”
Integrated into English from French influence
Connections
Word parts
ex-
prefix
out
cite
root
to summon or set in motion
Related across languages
Italian
eccitare
to excite
Spanish
excitar
to excite
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.