Standard Lemma guide

energetic

adj · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌɛn.əˈdʒɛt.ɪk/
  • General-American: /ˌɛn.əɹˈdʒɛt.ɪk/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • India: /eˈnər.dʒe.ʈɪk/
  • rhymes with -ɛtɪk
  • CMU ARPABET: EH2 N ER0 JH EH1 T IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Possessing or pertaining to energy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: sciences

Examples

  • Cosmic rays are energetic particles from outer space.
  • energetic laws

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Characterised by force or vigour; full of energy; lively, vigorous, furious.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Those kids are so energetic: they want to run around playing all day.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Having powerful effects; efficacious, potent.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Of or relating to certain Arabic verb forms that emphasize or intensify the meaning.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Any material used for its release of energy, either as an explosive, propellant, or for pyrotechnic effects.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: in-plural

Qualifier: materials science

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective

Meaning 6

possessing or exerting or displaying energy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an energetic fund raiser for the college
  • an energetic group of hikers
  • it caused an energetic chemical reaction

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: lethargic

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

working hard to promote an enterprise

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gumptious, industrious, up-and-coming

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From New Latin energeticus (16th c.), or its source, Ancient Greek ἐνεργητικός (energētikós), from ἐνεργέω (energéō, “to be active”), from ἐνεργός (energós, “active”). By surface analysis, energy + -etic.

Possibly from a clipping of energetic materials.

Across languages

Translations

66 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: نَشِيط (našīṭ) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Asturian: enérxicu — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Bulgarian: енерги́чен (energíčen) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Bulgarian: акти́вен (aktíven) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Catalan: enèrgic — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Catalan: ple d'energia — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Chinese Mandarin: 積極 /积极 (jījí) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Chinese Mandarin: 有活力 (yǒu huólì) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Czech: energický — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Esperanto: energia — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Finnish: energinen — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Finnish: tarmokas — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Finnish: toimelias — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Finnish: tomera — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • French: énergique — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • French: énergétique — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Galician: enérxico — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • German: energisch — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • German: energiegeladen — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • German: Energie besitzend — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Greek: ενεργητικός (energitikós) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Hindi: उत्साही (utsāhī) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Ido: energioza — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Ido: energiala — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Irish: fuinniúil — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Italian: energico — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Japanese: 精力的 (seiryokuteki) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Japanese: エネルギッシュ (enerugisshu) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Latin: vegetus — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Latin: nāvus — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Latin: actuōsus — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Latin: energeticus — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Latvian: enerģisks — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Latvian: možs — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Latvian: mundrs — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Latvian: izdarīgs — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Luxembourgish: energesch — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Māori: pākahukahu — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Māori: hōriri — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Māori: hohe — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Khiamniungan Naga: thīklìk — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Occitan: energic — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Polish: energiczny — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Portuguese: enérgico — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Romanian: energic — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Russian: энерги́чный (enɛrgíčnyj) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Russian: акти́вный (aktívnyj) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Spanish: enérgico — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Spanish: energético — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Swedish: energisk — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Swedish: livlig — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Ottoman Turkish: دینج (dinc) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Ukrainian: енергі́йний (enerhíjnyj) — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Welsh: egnïol — possessing, exerting, or displaying energy
  • Catalan: energètic — of or relating to energy
  • Czech: energetický — of or relating to energy
  • French: énergétique — of or relating to energy
  • Galician: enerxético — of or relating to energy
  • German: Energie- — of or relating to energy
  • Portuguese: energético — of or relating to energy
  • Romanian: energetic — of or relating to energy
  • Russian: энергети́ческий (ɛnɛrgetíčeskij) — of or relating to energy
  • Spanish: energético — of or relating to energy
  • Spanish: enérgico — of or relating to energy
  • Ukrainian: енергети́чний (enerhetýčnyj) — of or relating to energy
  • Welsh: egnïol — of or relating to energy
Real reading context

energetic in complete knowledge articles