elation

E1L1A1T1I1O1N1
/ɪˈleɪʃən//iːˈleɪʃən/

noun

An exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism.

Similar
gleemirthblithenessblithesomenesscheerfulnesscheerinesscontentnesscontentedness
Opposite
depression
OriginMiddle English elacioun ← Old French elacion ← Latin ēlātiōnem →
Less commonScrabble 7
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Meanings

nounelation (countable and uncountable, plural elations)

plural elations

  1. countableuncountableAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism.
  2. countableuncountableA feeling of joy and pride.

    She [Chloe Kelly] waited for confirmation of the goal before taking off her shirt and waving it around her head, while being lifted by her team-mates in a moment of pure elation.

    2022 July 31, Emma Sanders, “England 2-1 Germany”, in BBC Sport

    Synonyms: glee, mirth, blitheness, blithesomeness, cheerfulness, cheeriness, contentness, contentedness

  3. countableuncountablegeometryA collineation that fixes all points on a line (called its axis) and all lines though a point on the axis (called its center).

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA feeling of joy and pride.

Similar
gleemirthblithenessblithesomenesscheerfulnesscheerinesscontentnesscontentednessdelightdelightednesselatednessexuberanceexuberantnessfelicitygaietygaynessgayfulnessgladnessgladsomeness

More synonyms by meaning

nounan exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism; an absence of depression

Opposite
depression
Broader
psychological statepsychological conditionmental state

nouna feeling of joy and pride

Similar
high spiritslightness
Broader
joyjoyousnessjoyfulness
Also see
blithenessblithesomenesscheerfulnesscheerinesscontentednesscontentnessdelightdelightednesselatednesselatementfelicitygaietygayfulnessgaynessgladnessgladsomenessgleegleefulnessgleesomenesshappinesshigh spiritsjollinessjollityjovialityjovialnessjoyjoyfulnessjoyousnesslightnesslissmerrinessmirthmirthfulnesspleasedness

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinēlātiōnem
  2. Old Frenchelacion
  3. Middle Englishelacioun
  4. Englishelation

From Middle English elacioun, from Old French elacion, from Latin ēlātiōnem, accusative singular of ēlātiō (“exaltation, elevation; pride, elation”), from ēlātus, perfect passive participle of efferō (“bring forth or out; raise; exalt”), from ē (“out of”), short form of ex, + ferō (“carry, bear”).

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian въодушевление
  • въодушевление (văoduševlenie)An exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
Catalan eufòria
  • eufòriaAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
Chinese Mandarin 得意洋洋
  • 得意洋洋 (déyìyángyáng)An exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
Czech nadšení, euforie
  • nadšeníAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • euforieAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • nadšeníA feeling of joy and pride
  • radostA feeling of joy and pride
Dutch euforie, opgetogenheid
  • euforieAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • opgetogenheidA feeling of joy and pride
Finnish riemu, riemu
  • riemuAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • riemuA feeling of joy and pride
French élation, allégresse
  • élationAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • allégresseAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
German Euphorie, Hochgefühl
  • EuphorieAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • HochgefühlAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • BegeisterungA feeling of joy and pride
  • JubelstimmungA feeling of joy and pride
Italian euforia
  • euforiaAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
Latin ēlātiō, libentia
  • ēlātiōAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • libentiaAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • ēlātiōA feeling of joy and pride
Māori harikoa, manamanahau
  • harikoaAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • manamanahauAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • koangaAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • koanga ngākauAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • tūrangahakoaAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • koakoaAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • whāwhāpūAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
Norwegian eufori
  • euforiAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
Russian душевный подъём, эйфория
  • душевный подъём (duševnyj podʺjóm)An exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • эйфория (ejforija)An exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • воодушевление (vooduševlenije)An exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
Spanish euforia, elación
  • euforiaAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • elaciónAn exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
Ukrainian підне́сення, благода́ть
  • підне́сення (pidnésennja)An exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • благода́ть (blahodátʹ)An exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism
  • ра́дість (rádistʹ)A feeling of joy and pride

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with elation

informationeducationlocationapplicationassociationadministrationorganizationcorporationregistrationAsianfoundationcommunicationpopulationnavigationstationaccommodationoperationpublicationvacationtransportationevaluationimplementationinstallationnation
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

illation

Anagrams

toenailOltenia
Cite this entry
APA

elation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elation

MLA

“elation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elation. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “elation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elation.

Source: elation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.