English Reference
noun

ecstasy

n.
US /ˈɛkstəsi/ UK /ˈɛkstəsi/ ec·sta·sy UK spelling ecstasies

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a feeling of very great happiness or excitement.

    a state of overwhelming emotion, especially rapturous delight or intense pleasure.

    Simple

    The crowd was in ecstasy when their team scored the winning goal in the final minute.

    In context

    She stood on the mountain peak in a state of pure ecstasy, overwhelmed by the breathtaking beauty of the valley below.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced SlangInformal Medicine

    an illegal drug that makes people feel very happy, energetic, and close to others.

    a common name for the synthetic drug MDMA, typically sold in tablet form and used for its stimulant and empathogenic effects.

    Simple

    The police warned teenagers about the dangers of taking ecstasy at music festivals.

    In context

    The study examined the long-term neurological effects of frequent ecstasy use among young adults in urban environments.

    MDMAmolly
  3. 03 C2 Proficiency LiteraryFormal Religion

    a powerful religious feeling where a person feels connected to a higher power.

    a state of mystic or prophetic exaltation, often involving a trance-like suspension of normal consciousness.

    Simple

    The saint was said to have fallen into a deep ecstasy during her prayers.

    In context

    The poet describes a moment of divine ecstasy where the boundaries between the self and the universe seem to dissolve entirely.

    tranceexaltation

She became a leading campaigner after French senator Joel Guerriau was found guilty this year of spiking her drink with ecstasy in order to sexually assault her.

BBC News· 19 Aug 2026

But there are also lots of vivid specifics, such as the cheekily sacrilegious way Jonty says “body of Christ” as he places an ecstasy tablet into each of a row of outstretched hands.

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026

From Old French estaise (“ecstasy, rapture”), from Latin ecstasis, from Ancient Greek ἔκστασις (ékstasis), from ἐξίστημι (exístēmi, “I displace”), from ἐκ (ek, “out”) and ἵστημι (hístēmi, “I stand”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C2 · Proficiency
Frequency Frequent
Updated