What does extrovert mean?
An extrovert is a person who is outgoing, sociable, and energized by interaction with others, as opposed to an introvert, who draws energy from solitude and inner reflection. The word functions primarily as a noun ('she's a true extrovert') but also appears adjectivally in the related form 'extroverted'. Its most common sense is informal and descriptive — the life of the party, the colleague who thrives on collaboration — while in psychology it refers more precisely to one end of a personality spectrum measuring where attention and energy are directed. The term traces its roots to the Latin prefix extra- or extro-, meaning 'outward', combined with vertere, 'to turn'; it was popularized by followers of Carl Jung, who used it to classify basic attitudes of the psyche. Today 'extrovert' is widely used in everyday speech, self-help literature, and workplace discussions of team dynamics, usually carrying a friendly, positive connotation. It remains one of the most familiar terms in the vocabulary of personality, instantly understood across registers.
A person whose personality is characterized by sociability, talkativeness, and a preference for external activity and company over solitary pursuits.
"The team needed an extrovert who could confidently present ideas to large audiences."
Commonly paired with modifiers such as 'born', 'natural', or 'raving' for emphasis.
Outgoing, sociable, and oriented toward external things and other people; characteristic of an extrovert.
"Her extrovert nature made her the obvious choice to host the event."
The form 'extroverted' is more common in formal contexts, though adjectival 'extrovert' is well established, especially in British English.
Regular plural; used both for multiple individuals and for the category in general discussion.
"Extroverts often find open-plan offices energizing, while their quieter colleagues may find them draining."
'Extrovert' was originally an adjective coined in 17th-century anatomy to describe things turned outward — Carl Jung later borrowed it to describe people who do exactly that.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of extrovert
Extrovert derives from the Latin elements extro- (or extra-), meaning 'outward' or 'beyond', and vertere, meaning 'to turn', so it literally means 'one turned outward'. The word entered English as an adjective in the early 17th century in anatomical contexts before being adopted in the early 20th century by psychologists influenced by Carl Jung, who contrasted extraverted and introverted attitudes. It shares this Latin root with cognates such as introvert, convert, and invert, all built on the same verb vertere.
Related word forms
How extrovert is actually used
Neutral to positive connotation in everyday use, describing warmth and sociability without implying shallowness. In psychology it carries technical weight as one pole of the extraversion–introversion dimension. The variant spelling 'extravert' persists in academic writing but 'extrovert' dominates general usage.
Easily confused with extrovert
'Extravert' is the spelling preferred in Jungian psychological literature and reflects the original Latin 'extra-' prefix, while 'extrovert' is the far more common everyday spelling.