effusive
Americanadjective
-
unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve.
effusive greetings; an effusive person.
-
pouring out; overflowing.
-
Geology. extrusive.
adjective
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extravagantly demonstrative of emotion; gushing
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(of rock) formed by the solidification of magma
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of effusive
Explanation
Getting a compliment from your effusive Aunt Sally can be a little embarrassing. Since she's so effusive, Aunt Sally holds nothing back, gushing with enthusiasm. The adjective effusive means "extravagantly demonstrative," and if you know someone who expresses positive emotions in a heartfelt, bubbly way, you understand just what the word means. The word effusive has a surprisingly similar definition in geology; it describes a particular kind of volcanic eruption, one in which lava bubbles up out of the volcano and flows around it.
Vocabulary lists containing effusive
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Effusive off the track, Norman was stoic during his introduction, raising his arms above his head to acknowledge loud cheers, but with a stern expression.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 22, 2022
Effusive and impassioned, injecting black American heritage into the event, he didn’t disappoint.
From The Guardian • May 19, 2018
Effusive sentiment is an inherent risk of the cello, with its thundering sonorities and timbre so like the human voice.
From New York Times • Apr. 30, 2013
Effusive optimism, though, flies in the face of two troubling statistics.
From Time Magazine Archive
Effusive endearments and embraces were new to Dam, and he appeared extraordinarily ignorant of the art of kissing.
From Snake and Sword A Novel by Wren, Percival Christopher
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
