EXULTATION

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The utterance of sounds expressing great joy

Synonyms:

exultation; jubilation; rejoicing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("exultation" is a kind of...):

utterance; vocalization (the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication)

Derivation:

exult (to express great joy)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A feeling of extreme joy

Synonyms:

exultation; jubilance; jubilancy; jubilation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("exultation" is a kind of...):

joy; joyfulness; joyousness (the emotion of great happiness)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "exultation"):

triumph (the exultation of victory)

Derivation:

exult (feel extreme happiness or elation)

Credits

Context examples:

You can imagine my exultation, Watson, when within two inches of my peg I saw a conical depression in the ground.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

My friend has so often astonished me in the course of our adventures that it was with a sense of exultation that I realized how completely I had astonished him.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He really did look serious when he was saying it, and I couldn't help feeling a bit serious too—I know, Mina, you will think me a horrid flirt—though I couldn't help feeling a sort of exultation that he was number two in one day.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

They behaved very well, however, to him on the occasion, betraying no exultation beyond the lines about the corners of the mouth, and seemed to think it as great an escape to be quit of the intrusion of Charles Maddox, as if they had been forced into admitting him against their inclination.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The next moment she was tapping at her husband's dressing-room door, and as Anne followed her up stairs, she was in time for the whole conversation, which began with Mary's saying, in a tone of great exultation—I mean to go with you, Charles, for I am of no more use at home than you are.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Jo opened her lips to say something rude, but checked herself in time, colored up to her forehead and stood a minute, hammering down a wicket with all her might, while Fred hit the stake and declared himself out with much exultation.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

On their being joined by Mr. Bingley himself, Elizabeth withdrew to Miss Lucas; to whose inquiry after the pleasantness of her last partner she had scarcely replied, before Mr. Collins came up to them, and told her with great exultation that he had just been so fortunate as to make a most important discovery.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

A yell of exultation, and a forest of waving steel through the length and breadth of their column, announced that they could at last see their entrapped enemies, while the swelling notes of a hundred bugles and drums, mixed with the clash of Moorish cymbals, broke forth into a proud peal of martial triumph.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Again, therefore, she applied herself to the key, and after moving it in every possible way for some instants with the determined celerity of hope's last effort, the door suddenly yielded to her hand: her heart leaped with exultation at such a victory, and having thrown open each folding door, the second being secured only by bolts of less wonderful construction than the lock, though in that her eye could not discern anything unusual, a double range of small drawers appeared in view, with some larger drawers above and below them; and in the centre, a small door, closed also with a lock and key, secured in all probability a cavity of importance.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

"Did you see it?" cried Challenger, in exultation.