eager
- Very excited and enthusiastic about doing something or having something happen.
In a sentence
- The eager puppy ran to the door every time it heard footsteps on the porch.
- She was eager to start the experiment and had already read the instructions three times.
Usage note. The phrase 'eager beaver' is a common informal expression for someone who is extremely enthusiastic and hardworking — it is friendly but can sound slightly teasing.
Where it comes from
English eager · entered English 13th–14th c.
From Old French 'aigre,' meaning sharp, keen, or sour, which came from Latin 'acer,' meaning sharp, pointed, or keen. The Latin root is also the source of words like 'acrid' and 'acerbic.' The word entered Middle English in the 13th or 14th century, and its meaning shifted from 'sharp' or 'fierce' toward 'keen with enthusiasm' over time.