Energetic

How to spell energetic

9 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce energetic

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does energetic mean?

1. adjectiveShowing or possessing a lot of energy, activity, or vigour.

Energetic in a sentence

• The new manager is energetic and rarely sits still during meetings.

• A brisk morning walk leaves her feeling energetic for the rest of the day.

Where does energetic come from?

Language of origin: Greek

This word traces back to the Greek energetikos, meaning 'active' or 'effective', which was built on energeia, the noun for activity or operation. That noun in turn came from energos, literally 'at work', formed from en 'in' and ergon 'work', the same ergon that survives in modern words such as 'ergonomic'. The philosopher Aristotle used energeia as a technical term for actuality and being in operation, contrasting it with mere potential. English took the adjective in during the seventeenth century, at first in a fairly scientific or philosophical sense before it broadened into the everyday meaning of lively and full of vigour. The spelling keeps the soft g of 'energy', so the trap for writers is remembering the single n and the -etic ending rather than -etick or -atic.

How the word is built

• energ- (from Greek energeia: activity, working)
• -etic (adjective-forming suffix)