Giddy
/ˈɡɪdi/noun
Feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or excitable; foolishly or frivolously lively.
Did you know?In Old English, the ancestor of giddy meant not just “dizzy,” but also “possessed” or “mad,” showing how ancient people linked spinning, frenzy, and altered states of mind.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʰed-
“to seize, hold”
Old English
OE
gidig
“possessed, mad, frantic; dizzy”
Middle English
ME
gidi
“dizzy, lightheaded; wild or foolish”
16th Century
English
giddy
“lightheaded, unsteady; later, exuberant or frivolous”
Modern English
English
giddy
“dizzy, excited, or lacking seriousness”
Explore more surprising origins