top definitions
related content
examples
british

excitant

[ ik-sahyt-nt, ek-si-tuh nt ]

/ ɪkˈsaɪt nt, ˈɛk sɪ tənt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR excitant ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

exciting; stimulating.

noun

Physiology. something that excites; a stimulant.

Origin of excitant

1600–10; < Latin excitant- (stem of excitāns), present participle of excitāre. See excite, -ant

Words nearby excitant

excision, excision biopsy, excitability, excitable, excitable area, excitant, excitation, excitation wave, excitative, excitatory postsynaptic potential, excite

Example sentences from the Web for excitant

Catastrophe becomes also the excitant for an unparalleled opening of the springs of generosity.

Catastrophe and Social Change |Samuel Henry Prince
In both of these batteries sulphuric acid solutions are used as the excitant between the elements.

The Submarine in War and Peace |Simon Lake
The magic love-philtre is the excitant in this story of rapture and gloom.

The Complete Opera Book |Gustav Kobb
Brillat Savarin says of coffee, "It is beyond doubt that coffee acts upon the functions of the brain as an excitant."

The Art of Entertaining |M. E. W. Sherwood

The influence of dreams as an excitant of muscular movement will be hereafter discussed.

Insomnia; and Other Disorders of Sleep |Henry M. Lyman

British Dictionary definitions for excitant

excitant

/ (ɪkˈsaɪtənt, ˈɛksɪtənt) /

adjective Also: excitative (ɪkˈsaɪtətɪv), excitatory (ɪkˈsaɪtətərɪ, -trɪ)

able to excite or stimulate

noun

something, such as a drug or other agent, able to excite; stimulant