enthusiasm

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A strong feeling of excitement and eagerness about something.

   She talked about her new job with great enthusiasm.

2. 2
   noun

   Something you are very interested in and enjoy doing.

   Cycling is one of his main enthusiasms.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Enthusiasm comes from Greek enthous, meaning “possessed by a god” or “inspired,” and ultimately from theos, “god.” In the early 17th century it meant divine inspiration or religious mania, often with uncontrolled behavior; during the following century it weakened toward its modern sense of eager interest, although the older religious senses persisted.

First attested from 1603, from Middle French enthousiasme, from Late Latin enthusiasmus, from Ancient Greek ἐνθουσιασμός (enthousiasmós), from ἐν (en, “in”) + θεός (theós, “god”) + οὐσία (ousía, “essence”).

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External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary