Heady
/ˈhɛdi/noun
Having a strong effect, especially of alcohol; or causing excitement, dizziness, or overconfidence.
Did you know?Heady comes from Old English roots tied to the head itself, and its modern sense of intoxication or mental overwhelm shows how language turns bodily sensation into psychological power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*k̂eh₂d-
“head”
Old English
OE
hēafod
“head”
Old English
OE
hēadig
“having a head; also proud, rash, or intoxicated”
Middle English
ME
hedi
“dizzy, giddy, intoxicated, proud”
Modern English
English
heady
“strongly intoxicating; exhilarating; rashly overconfident”