Here you’ll find 95 Big words that start with E, organized from “ebullience” to “exultation”. These entries are typically polysyllabic, formal, and useful for writing, speeches, academic work, and vocabulary study.

Big words that start with E are advanced, often polysyllabic terms with clear etymologies and precise meanings. Many come from Latin or Greek roots; for example, “ebullience” traces back to a Latin verb meaning to boil or bubble.

Below you’ll find the table with Word, Etymology, and Definition.

Word: Use this field to find each headword, correct spelling, alphabetical position, and quick usage cue.

Etymology: Learn the word’s linguistic origin and root elements so you understand how meanings developed historically.

Definition: Read a concise, one-sentence explanation that shows the word’s meaning and typical usage context in sentences.

Big words that start with E

Word Part of speech Syllables Meaning Description
ebullient adjective 4 Cheerfully enthusiastic and energetically expressive From Latin ebullire “to bubble” via French, 17th century; literary, lively register for personality or prose.
ebullience noun 4 Overflowing enthusiasm or exuberant expression Derived from Latin ebullientia, 17th century; useful in literary and psychological descriptions of intense cheerfulness.
echelon noun 3 A level of rank or authority in an organization From French échelon “rung of a ladder” from Old French, 19th-century military use, now formal organizational register.
eclectic adjective 3 Selecting ideas or styles from diverse sources From Greek eklektikos “selective,” via Latin, 18th century; academic and artistic contexts.
eclecticism noun 4 Practice of deriving ideas from varied systems From eclectic + -ism, 18th century; used in philosophy, art, criticism.
effervescent adjective 4 Bubbly, lively, or vivacious in manner From Latin effervescere “to boil up,” 17th century; literary and descriptive register for personalities or liquids.
efficacious adjective 5 Producing the desired or intended effect From Latin efficax “effective,” via efficere, 16th century; formal, often medical or legal contexts.
effrontery noun 4 Insolent boldness; shameless audacity From French effronterie, from Latin fronte “brow,” 16th century; high-register reproach.
effulgent adjective 3 Radiantly brilliant; shining forth From Latin effulgere “to shine out,” 17th century; poetic or literary use.
egregious adjective 4 Outstandingly bad; shockingly flagrant From Latin egregius “distinguished” ironic shift, 16th century; formal criticism or moral language.
elegiac adjective 4 Relating to elegy; mournfully poetic From Greek elegiakos via Latin, 17th century; literary, poetic contexts.
elocution noun 4 The art of public speaking and clear expression From Latin eloqui “speak out,” 16th–17th century; rhetorical and performance contexts.
eloquent adjective 3 Persuasive and fluent in expression From Latin eloquent-, from eloqui, Classical influence, common in literary and formal praise.
elucidate verb 4 Make clear; explain thoroughly From Latin elucidare “make clear,” 16th century; academic and expository writing.
elucidation noun 5 Detailed explanation or clarification From elucidate + -ion, 17th century; useful in scholarly or pedagogical contexts.
emollient adjective 4 Soothing, especially to the skin; softening From Latin emollire “to soften,” 17th century; medical, cosmetic, and literary uses.
empirical adjective 4 Based on observation or experience rather than theory From Greek empeiria “experience,” via Latin, 17th century; scientific and practical register.
emendation noun 4 A correction or improvement to a text From Latin emendare “to correct,” used in philology and editorial contexts.
emissary noun 4 A person sent on a mission; envoy From Latin emissarius, via French, 15th–17th century; diplomatic or literary use.
emaciated adjective 5 Extremely thin, wasted, especially from illness From Latin emaciare “make thin,” 17th century; medical and literary register.
emanate verb 3 To issue or flow out from a source From Latin emanare “to flow out,” classical/medieval usage, scholarly and poetic contexts.
encomium noun 4 A formal expression of high praise From Greek enkōmion via Latin, classical rhetorical term, high-register praise.
encomiastic adjective 5 Of or relating to encomia; highly praising From encomium + -astic, 19th century; literary praise or laudatory contexts.
ennoblement noun 4 The act of making someone noble or honorable From Old French en- + noble, medieval to modern; formal social or literary usage.
enervate verb 3 To weaken physically or mentally From Latin enervare “to weaken,” 16th century; used in medical, rhetorical, and literary contexts.
enigmatic adjective 4 Mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to interpret From Greek ainigma via Latin, 17th century; literary and critical contexts.
enunciation noun 5 Clear pronunciation or formal declaration From Latin enuntiare “declare,” 16th century; rhetorical, linguistic, and formal-use contexts.
entelechy noun 4 Inner actuality that completes potential; vital realization From Greek entelecheia, Aristotelian term via Latin, philosophical and literary register.
entomology noun 5 Scientific study of insects From Greek entomon “insect” + -logy, 18th century; academic biology discipline.
entropy noun 3 Measure of disorder or system irreversibility From Greek tropē “transformation” via German, 19th-century physics; scientific and metaphoric use.
enumerate verb 4 To list things one by one From Latin enumerare “count out,” 16th century; clear, formal writing and speech.
ephemeral adjective 4 Lasting a very short time; transitory From Greek ephemeros “lasting a day,” classical usage; poetic and philosophical contexts.
epigraphic adjective 4 Relating to inscriptions, especially on stone From Greek epigraphē + -ic, used in archaeology and classics.
epiphenomenon noun 6 A secondary effect arising from but not influencing a process From Greek epi- + phaenomenon, 19th-century philosophical/psychological term.
epistolary adjective 5 Pertaining to letters or letter-writing style From Latin epistola “letter,” used in literary genres since the 17th century.
epitome noun 4 A perfect example or condensed summary From Greek epitomē via Latin, classical rhetorical term; literary and critical use.
epistemic adjective 4 Relating to knowledge or cognition From Greek epistēmē “knowledge,” philosophy and epistemology contexts.
epistemology noun 5 The theory or study of knowledge From Greek epistēmē + -logy, foundational philosophical discipline.
equanimity noun 5 Calmness and composure, especially under stress From Latin aequanimitas, 17th century; valued in philosophical and psychological writing.
equestrian adjective 4 Pertaining to horseback riding or horsemanship From Latin equestris “of horses,” classical and formal use.
equitable adjective 4 Fair and impartial; just From Latin aequus “equal,” legal and moral contexts.
equivocal adjective 4 Open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous From Latin aequivocus via French, 16th century; formal critique and analysis.
equivocate verb 4 To use ambiguous language to mislead or avoid commitment From Latin aequivocare, 16th century; rhetorical and political contexts.
equilibrium noun 5 A state of balance between opposing forces From Latin aequilibrium, scientific and metaphorical use.
eradicate verb 4 To root out or eliminate completely From Latin eradicare “uproot,” 17th century; medical, agricultural, policy language.
erudition noun 4 Deep, extensive scholarly knowledge From Latin eruditus “instructed,” 17th century; academic and literary compliment.
erudite adjective 3 Having or showing great scholarly learning From Latin eruditus, scholarly register.
eschatology noun 5 Study of end times or final things in theology From Greek eschatos “last” + -logy, theological and philosophical term.
esoteric adjective 4 Intended for or understood by a small, specialized audience From Greek esōterikos, 17th century; academic and niche-discussion usage.
espionage noun 4 The practice of spying or intelligence gathering From French espionnage, 19th century; diplomatic, military, literary contexts.
ethereal adjective 4 Extremely delicate, light, or heavenly From Greek aither “upper air” via Latin, poetic and aesthetic register.
ethnography noun 4 Descriptive study of particular cultures or peoples From Greek ethnos + -graphy, anthropology discipline.
ethnology noun 4 Comparative study of cultures and peoples From Greek ethnos + -logy, academic anthropology term.
eugenics noun 3 Study or advocacy of improving genetic quality of populations From Greek eu- “good” + genos “birth,” early 20th-century scientific movement; controversial historical use.
euphemism noun 4 Mild or indirect word substituted for a harsh one From Greek euphemismos, rhetorical and social-language contexts.
euphonious adjective 4 Pleasing or harmonious in sound From Greek euphonos “sweet-voiced,” literary and poetic use.
euphoria noun 4 Intense, often temporary, feeling of well-being From Greek euphoros “bearing well,” medical and psychological contexts.
euthanasia noun 5 Practice of deliberately ending life to relieve suffering From Greek eu- “good” + thanatos “death,” medical and ethical term.
evanescent adjective 4 Vanishing quickly; fleetingly perceptible From Latin evanescere “vanish,” poetic and literary usage.
evocative adjective 4 Bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind From Latin evocare “call forth,” literary and descriptive register.
exacerbate verb 4 Make a problem or negative feeling worse From Latin exacerbare, 16th century; medical, political, and rhetorical contexts.
exasperate verb 4 To irritate intensely; provoke anger or annoyance From Latin exasperare, 16th century; expressive in formal complaint.
exactitude noun 4 The quality of being precise and accurate From Latin exactus “precise,” scholarly and technical writing.
exaltation noun 4 A feeling or state of intense joy or elevation From Latin exaltare, literary and emotional contexts.
exculpate verb 3 To clear from alleged fault or guilt From Latin exculpare “free from blame,” legal and formal register.
exegesis noun 4 Critical explanation or interpretation of a text From Greek exēgēsis via Latin, biblical and literary criticism.
exegetical adjective 4 Relating to exegetical interpretation or critical explanation From exegesis + -ical, scholarly theological usage.
exemplify verb 4 To illustrate or clarify by example From Latin exemplificare, 16th century; pedagogical and rhetorical register.
exemplary adjective 4 Serving as a desirable model or ideal example From Latin exemplum, praise or moral instruction contexts.
exigent adjective 3 Requiring immediate action; urgent From Latin exigent-, from exigere, formal or legal usage.
exigency noun 4 An urgent need or demand From Latin exigentia, practical, legal, and policy contexts.
exiguous adjective 4 Extremely scanty or meager; very small in amount From Latin exiguus “small,” rare and literary register.
exonerate verb 4 To officially absolve from blame or fault From Latin exonerare, legal and journalistic contexts.
expatriate noun 4 A person living outside their native country From Latin expatriare via French, modern formal usage in society and literature.
expedient adjective 4 Convenient and practical but possibly improper From Latin expediens, used in policy, ethics, and strategy contexts.
expeditious adjective 4 Done with speed and efficiency From Latin expeditus, administrative and procedural contexts.
expository adjective 5 Intended to explain or describe; explanatory From Latin expositus, used of essays, chapters, and teaching materials.
extemporaneous adjective 5 Spoken or performed without preparation From Latin ex tempore “out of time,” rhetorical and performance contexts.
extrapolate verb 4 Infer or project unknown data from known information From Latin extrapolatus, scientific and analytical contexts.
extraneous adjective 4 Irrelevant or unrelated to the subject at hand From Latin extraneus, formal critique and analytical writing.
extrajudicial adjective 5 Occurring outside official judicial proceedings From Latin extra + judicial, legal and human-rights discourse.
extricate verb 3 To free or disentangle from difficulty or constraint From Latin extricare “unravel,” literary and practical usage.
extravagance noun 4 Excessive spending or behavior beyond reasonable bounds From Latin extravagare, moral, economic, and social commentary contexts.
exuberant adjective 4 Energetically joyful or lavishly abundant From Latin exuberans “overflowing,” literary and emotive register.
expurgate verb 3 To remove objectionable material from a text From Latin expurgare, editorial and censorship contexts
expiation noun 4 Act of making amends or reparation for wrongdoing From Latin expiare, theological and moral contexts
explicate verb 3 To explain in detail or analyze closely From Latin explicare, literary and theoretical analysis
explicit adjective 3 Clear and leaving no room for confusion From Latin explicitus, formal and direct communication
expostulate verb 4 To reason earnestly in protest or criticism From Latin expostulare, rhetorical and corrective contexts
extolment noun 3 The act of praising highly From Latin extollere “lift up,” literary or laudatory usage
extirpate verb 3 To destroy completely; root out From Latin extirpare, used in botanical, medical, and policy contexts
extricate verb 3 To free from entanglement or difficulty From Latin extricare, practical and literary contexts
exsanguinate verb 4 To drain of blood; make bloodless From Latin exsanguinare, medical and literary use
exultation noun 4 Great rejoicing or triumphant happiness From Latin exultare, emotional and literary register

Descriptions

ebullient
ebullience
echelon
eclectic
eclecticism
effervescent
efficacious
effrontery
effulgent
egregious
elegiac
elocution
eloquent
elucidate
elucidation
emollient
empirical
emendation
emissary
emaciated
emanate
encomium
encomiastic
ennoblement
enervate
enigmatic
enunciation
entelechy
entomology
entropy
enumerate
ephemeral
epigraphic
epiphenomenon
epistolary
epitome
epistemic
epistemology
equanimity
equestrian
equitable
equivocal
equivocate
equilibrium
eradicate
erudition
erudite
eschatology
esoteric
espionage
ethereal
ethnography
ethnology
eugenics
euphemism
euphonious
euphoria
euthanasia
evanescent
evocative
exacerbate
exasperate
exactitude
exaltation
exculpate
exegesis
exegetical
exemplify
exemplary
exigent
exigency
exiguous
exonerate
expatriate
expedient
expeditious
expository
extemporaneous
extrapolate
extraneous
extrajudicial
extricate
extravagance
exuberant
expurgate
expiation
explicate
explicit
expostulate
extolment
extirpate
extricate
exsanguinate
exultation
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