ENGLISH
REFERENCE

giddy

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɡɪdi// UK //ɡˈɪdi// gid·dy Archaic Dialect

adj. feeling dizzy or very excited and silly. You might feel this way after spinning in circles or when you are extremely happy about something.

adj. characterised by a sensation of whirling or lightheadedness; also describes a state of frivolous excitement. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'feel' or 'become'.


SIMPLE

The children felt giddy after spinning around on the grass.

CONTEXTUAL

She felt giddy with relief after hearing that her family had safely arrived home.

COMPLEX

The sudden surge in stock prices left investors feeling giddy, though seasoned analysts warned that such rapid growth was likely unsustainable in the long term.

Synonyms
Origin

The adjective is derived from Middle English gidi, gedy, gydy (“demonically controlled or possessed; crazy, insane; foolish, idiotic, ridiculous, unwise; unsure; (rare) dizzy, shaky; (rare) of an animal: crazed, out of control; a fool”) [and other forms], from Old English gidiġ, gydiġ (“possessed by a demon or spirit, insane, mad”), from Proto-West Germanic gudīg (“ghostly, spirited”, literally “possessed by a god or spirit”), from god (“god”) + -ig, -g (suffix forming adjectives with the senses of being, doing, or having). The English word is analysable as god + -y (suffix meaning ‘having the quality of’, forming adjectives). The noun and the verb are derived from the adjective.

Usage

Often follows linking verbs such as 'feel', 'look', or 'become'.

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