excite

 
Pronunciation: /ɪkˈsʌɪt, ɛk-/

verb

[with object]
  • 1cause (someone) to feel very enthusiastic and eager: flying still excites me Gould was excited by these discoveries
  • arouse (someone) sexually: his Mediterranean vibrancy excited and stimulated her
  • 2give rise to (a feeling or reaction): the ability to excite interest in others
  • 3produce a state of increased energy or activity in (a physical or biological system): the energy of an electron is sufficient to excite the atom

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'incite someone to do something'): from Old French exciter or Latin excitare, frequentative of exciere 'call out or forth'. excite (sense 1) dates from the mid 19th century

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