Feeling dizzy with excitement or happiness, often accompanied by silly or impulsive behavior. It describes a light-headed state of joy that can impair serious thinking.
From Old English 'gydig' (insane, possessed by a god), related to 'god.' The meaning evolved from divine madness to dizzy foolishness, then to excited happiness by the 16th century, maintaining the sense of being overwhelmed by emotion.
Giddy perfectly captures how intense positive emotions can actually impair our cognitive function - we become 'drunk' on happiness. This temporary silliness serves an important social function, signaling to others that we're in a safe, playful state and inviting them to join our joy.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.