different between energetic vs sprightly

English

Alternative forms

• energetick (obsolete)

Etymology

From New Latin energeticus (16th c.), or its source, Ancient Greek ??????????? (energ?tikós), from ??????? (energé?, “to be active”), from ??????? (energós, “active”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /??n??d??t?k/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /??n??d??t?k/
• Rhymes: -?t?k
• Hyphenation: en?er?get?ic

Adjective

energetic (comparative more energetic, superlative most energetic)

1. (sciences) Possessing or pertaining to energy. [from 19th c.]
2. Characterised by force or vigour; full of energy; lively, vigorous. [from 18th c.]
3. (obsolete) Having powerful effects; efficacious, potent. [17th–20th c.]

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "energetic" is often applied: person, man, woman, child, life, material, particle, ion, healing, anatomy, etc.
• Where non-English languages use an adjective analogous to "energetic", English often uses "energy" attributively: "energy efficiency" is much more common than "energetic efficiency".

Derived terms

Related terms

• energetical

Translations

Romanian

Etymology

From French énergétique.

Adjective

energetic m or n (feminine singular energetic?, masculine plural energetici, feminine and neuter plural energetice)

1. energetic

Declension

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /?sp?a?tli/
• Hyphenation: spright?ly

Etymology 1

From spright +? -ly (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘behaving like, having the nature of’). Spright is an obsolete variant of sprite (“a shade, spirit; elf, fairy, goblin; apparition, ghost”), from Middle English sprit (“principle of life; soul, especially at the point of death; immaterial being (angel, demon, apparition, ghost, etc.); divine inspiration; Holy Spirit; the mind, intellect, reason; mental faculties, senses; power of prophecy; character, disposition; courage, resolution; mood, state of mind; human will; breath; (alchemy) volatile substance”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman esprite, esprit and Middle French esprit, variants of Anglo-Norman, Middle French, Old French espirit, esperit (“spirit”), from Latin sp?ritus (“air; breath; breathing; ghost, spirit”), from sp?r? (“to breathe; to breathe out, exhale”) (from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys- (“to blow; to breathe”)) + -tus (“suffix forming action nouns from verbs”).

Adjective

sprightly (comparative sprightlier, superlative sprightliest)

1. Animated, gay, or vivacious; lively, spirited.

   Synonyms: energetic, high-spirited, (chiefly Australia, US) spright

   Antonym: melancholy
2. Of a person: full of life and vigour, especially with a light and springy step.

   Synonyms: active, dynamic, mettlesome, vivacious

   1. Especially of an older person: energetic and in good health; spry.
3. (obsolete, rare) Of or relating to a sprite; ghostly, spectral.

Alternative forms

• sprightlie (obsolete)
• spritely

Derived terms

• spright (adjective) (chiefly Australia, US)
• sprightle (English Midlands, Northern Ireland, rare)
• sprightlily
• sprightliness

Related terms

• sprightful
• sprightless (rare)
• sprightness (rare)

Translations

Etymology 2

From spright +? -ly (suffix forming adverbs from adjectives).; see further at etymology 1.

Adverb

sprightly (comparative sprightlier, superlative sprightliest)

1. In a lively and vigorous way; sprightlily.

Derived terms

• sprightlily

Translations

References

Anagrams

• triglyphs