excitement

the word 'excitement' is built upon the latin verb excitare, which itself is a compound of ex- (meaning 'out') and citare (meaning 'to set in motion, call'). this literal sense of 'calling out' or 'rousing' evolved into the general meaning of 'to stimulate or arouse'. the suffix -ment, of latin origin, was added to form a noun denoting the condition or result of that action. thus, the modern abstract meaning of 'excitement' logically follows from its roots: it is the state of being aroused or stimulated, typically by something pleasurable or anticipated.

Structure: excit (to arouse) + ment (state or result) excit: from latin excitare, meaning 'to call forth, arouse, stimulate'. ment: a latin noun-forming suffix (-mentum) indicating an action, process, or resulting state.