elation
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of elation
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English elacioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin ēlātiōn-, stem of ēlātiō “ceremonial carrying out, elevation, ecstasy”; equivalent to elate + -ion
Explanation
If you experience sudden very high spirits, possibly even a feeling of lightness, you are feeling great elation. Elation is more than mere happiness — it is extreme, exhilarating joy. It has a sense of rising or expanding, even to the point of light-headedness. To help remember it, think of the (unrelated) word inflation, which has a similar sound. When you inflate a tire, you pump it up. When you are filled with elation, you are also, in a sense, "pumped up."
Vocabulary lists containing elation
Emotions on Display
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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Refugee
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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.
Despite their elation over Sunday’s victory, the Rams have plenty to fix.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
He knows he might not make the cut this time with Knicks elation reaching heights that Todd ranked just below the births of his three children.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
The scenes in Kyiv contrasted with elation to the north, where 205 Ukrainian soldiers were freed in the latest POW exchange with Moscow.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
The midfielder set off in pure elation, sprinting down the touchline, team-mates trying to haul him back to celebrate.
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
Nina remembered their last real day together, the elation they’d felt when they’d crested a steep hill and seen the port town spread out below.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
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.
