Ivresse

Ivresse is a term used primarily in French to denote intoxication or a state of exhilaration. It can refer to physiological intoxication from alcohol or other substances, or to a figurative intoxication—an intense feeling or elation that overcomes restraint. In English-language usage, the word is largely literary or historical, with closest equivalents such as intoxication, ebriety, or inebriation.

Etymology and linguistic notes: The noun ivresse derives from Old French ivresse, from the verb ivre meaning to make drunk, itself from Latin ebrietas, from ebrius “drunken.” The concept has cognates across Romance languages, reflecting a common root for drunkenness and its metaphorical extensions.

Usage and nuance: In French, ivresse covers both medical/physiological intoxication and a broader mood of fervent excitement or creative inspiration. Metaphorically, writers describe “ivresse du voyage” or “ivresse de l’instant” to convey a sense of overpowering experience rather than only physical drunkenness. The term can carry positive, exhilarating connotations as well as warnings about excess.

Cultural context: The idea of ivresse has longstanding resonance in poetry and philosophy as a symbol of altered perception, passion, and risk. It is used to evoke states of heightened consciousness and can function as a literary device to explore inspiration, spontaneity, or the dangers of surrender to sensation.

See also: Intoxication, Ebriety, Inebriation, French literature.