To feel giddy means to be dizzy and unsteady, or so excited and happy that you feel light-headed and silly. When you spin around too fast on the playground, you might feel giddy and wobbly, like the world is still turning even after you've stopped. But giddy can also describe that bubbling, almost dizzy feeling of pure joy and excitement.

Think about the last day of school before summer vacation. That bouncing, can't-sit-still, laughing-at-everything feeling? That's giddiness. Or imagine getting picked first for the team you most wanted to join: your heart races, you can't stop smiling, and everything seems hilarious and wonderful. You're giddy with excitement.

The word often suggests a kind of breathless, uncontrollable happiness that makes you a little silly. Someone might get giddy about their birthday party, an upcoming trip, or even seeing an old friend. Young children sometimes spin until they're giddy, falling down and giggling. Athletes sometimes describe feeling giddy after winning a championship, that overwhelming rush of joy mixed with disbelief.

Giddy isn't quite the same as simply happy. It's happiness so intense it almost makes you dizzy, like your emotions are spinning you around.