enthusiast

[ en-thoo-zee-ast, -ist ]
See synonyms for enthusiast on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a person who is filled with enthusiasm for some principle, pursuit, etc.; a person of ardent zeal: a sports enthusiast.

  2. a religious visionary or fanatic.

Origin of enthusiast

1
First recorded in 1600–10; from Greek enthousiastḗs “inspired person, possessed person,” from enthousí(a) “possession by a god” (see enthusiasm) + -astēs -ast (variant of -istēs -ist after i)

Other words for enthusiast

Other words from enthusiast

  • an·ti·en·thu·si·ast, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use enthusiast in a sentence

  • I would venture, therefore, to warn enthusiasts in co-operation against entertaining false hopes.

  • We were enthusiasts in our love for ornithology; we found new inspiration in the democracy of our common interests.

    In Search of the Unknown | Robert W. Chambers
  • The doctrine of free marriage propounded by American enthusiasts was a remanet from the ethical system of Mr. Edward Kelly.

    Witch, Warlock, and Magician | William Henry Davenport Adams
  • As with Carstens, so with the Nazarenes, we are warned by the idealistic 129 tendency which inspired the young enthusiasts.

  • But the two enthusiasts had a sudden check when they informed their mother.

    Sarah's School Friend | May Baldwin

British Dictionary definitions for enthusiast

enthusiast

/ (ɪnˈθjuːzɪˌæst) /


noun
  1. a person filled with or motivated by enthusiasm; fanatic

  2. archaic a religious visionary, esp one whose zeal for religion is extravagant or unbalanced

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012