enthusiast

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A person filled with or guided by enthusiasm.

   But Charles Aubyn (for it was he) had, like most enthusiasts, overcalculated the influence of his eloquence; surprise had alone procured him a hearing, and the bold cavaliers around were little in the mood for a homily.

2. 2
   noun

   an ardent and enthusiastic supporter of some person or activity

3. 3
   noun

   a person having a strong liking for something

4. 4
   noun

   A person exhibiting over-zealous religious fervour.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐνθουσιαστής (enthousiastḗs, “an enthusiast, a zealot”), from ἐνθουσιάζειν (enthousiázein, “(intransitive) be inspired or possessed by a god, be rapt, be in ecstasy, (transitive) inspire”): see enthusiasm.