peppy
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of peppy
Explanation
Are you energetic, full of enthusiasm, and a little bit bubbly? Then you can describe yourself as peppy! When you're feeling peppy, you're lighthearted and cheerful, practically bouncing along — think of a peppy cheerleader. Peppy songs make you want to tap your toe, and peppy party guests keep things fun when you're celebrating. This North American adjective first appeared around 1915, from pep, shorthand for pepper, which was used to mean "spirit or energy" starting around 1845.
Vocabulary lists containing peppy
Flying Lessons & Other Stories
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The 47 People You'll Meet in Middle School
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Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days!
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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.
“They were to make me peppy during interviews,” she recalled.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 26, 2026
As I set off, the shoes emitted a peppy clip-clop and a satisfying groan of distressed leather with each step.
From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026
Shares go for 84 times forward earnings on expectations of a peppy bounce back in earnings through the end of the decade.
From Barron's • May 1, 2026
In came quarterback Drake Maye, a peppy high draft pick from North Carolina who showed early promise and charmed his teammates with his wife’s homemade cookies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026
Aviva may be the one modern Hebrew name that is ready to break out: it’s easy to pronounce, pretty, peppy, and suitably flexible. databases, here is a sampling of today’s high-end names.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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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.