Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Unrestrained or excessive in emotional expression; gushy.
  • adjective Profuse; overflowing.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In petrography, a volcanic rock poured out on the surface of the earth: contrasted with intrusive rocks. Also extrusive.
  • Pouring out; flowing forth profusely: as, effusive speech.
  • Hence Making an extravagant or undue exhibition of feeling.
  • Poured abroad; spread or poured freely.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective archaic Pouring out; pouring forth freely.
  • adjective (Geol.) formed by an outpouring of molten lava, or pertaining to rocks so formed.
  • adjective overly demonstrative; expressing emotion in an unrestrained manner; exhibiting unrestrained enthusiasm; -- of people and human actions. Contrasted with reserved.
  • adjective (Geol.) volcanic rocks formed by a nonexplosive outpouring of lava in molten or plastic form; in distinction from so-called intrusive, or plutonic, rocks.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective gushy; unrestrained, extravagant or excessive (in emotional expression)
  • adjective archaic pouring, spilling out freely; overflowing
  • adjective extrusive; having solidified after being poured out as molten lava

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective extravagantly demonstrative
  • adjective uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin effundere.

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Examples

  • A perfect example of Hodgkin’s sharp personality is the small You Are My Sunshine, which, like a sycophant’s true feelings, contains a snide black core within effusive, almost hyper orange and yellow.

    Vitro Nasu » 2006 » May 2006

  • A perfect example of Hodgkin’s sharp personality is the small You Are My Sunshine, which, like a sycophant’s true feelings, contains a snide black core within effusive, almost hyper orange and yellow.

    Howard’s Blend 2006

  • So boring, from the Pierce Brosnan comparison through the description of him as "astute", "effective", "effusive"- sorry that last one describes the tenor of the article rather than the man- it is simply nothing more than p.r.

    Establishment 2009

  • So boring, from the Pierce Brosnan comparison through the description of him as "astute", "effective", "effusive"- sorry that last one describes the tenor of the article rather than the man- it is simply nothing more than p.r.

    Archive 2009-06-17 2009

  • As he felt the young fellow's eyes upon him he recalled the effusive piety of his conversation at Tyler Sudley's house, his animadversions on violin-playing and liquor-drinking, and Brother Peter Vickers's mild and merciful attitude toward sinners in those un-spiced sermons of his, that held out such affluence of hope to the repentant rather than to the self-righteous.

    The Moonshiners At Hoho-Hebee Falls 1895 Mary Noailles Murfree 1886

  • We are served tea by the kind of effusive waitress who works in high-end London hotels.

    Johann Hari: Meet the Ex-Jihadis 2009

  • Rebecca's mother was not "effusive" about Rebecca's pregnancy not because she rejected the idea of a pregnancy, but because of who she was having the baby with: her Buddhist teacher who was already married and has a young child.

    Rebecca Walker Becca 2007

  • When he complained at the front desk, he got nothing but effusive, meaningless praise -- oh yes, the most wonderful guest must be correct, our criminal staff is surely at fault -- and a bill for the previous night's stay.

    Asimov's Science Fiction 2005

  • If I recall correctly, my tone was one of jaw-dropped admiration and the kind of effusive praise that can only come from the young and impressionable vis-a-vis their encounter with an artist who either works proudly outside the mainstream or has found a way to subvert the norm from within.

    Box Office Prophets Brett Beach 2010

  • A warm, empathetic character who benefits from Faour's lively, ebullient presence, Muna is the kind of effusive person who can't help offering a U.S. customs officer the unsolicited observation that "my husband, he is not a good man."

    The News Tribune Blogs 2009

Comments

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  • –adjective 1. unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve: effusive greetings; an effusive person. 2. pouring out; overflowing.

    September 22, 2008