enchantment

[en-chant-muhnt, -chahnt-]

noun

1. the art, act, or an instance of enchanting. enchanting.

   Synonyms: witchery, fascination, sorcery, magic

2. the state of being enchanted.

3. something that enchants.

   Music is an enchantment that never fails.

   Synonyms: charm, spell

enchantment

/ ɪnˈtʃɑːntmənt /

noun

1. the act of enchanting or state of being enchanted

2. a magic spell or act of witchcraft

3. great charm or fascination

Word History and Origins

Origin of enchantment¹

1250–1300; Middle English enchantement < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin incantāmentum. See enchant, -ment

Example Sentences

“Amélie” has been hailed as a valentine to Paris, but what makes Jeunet’s wizardry so ill-suited to that tribute is the whole tradition of French film which located the enchantment of Paris in real settings.

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That ultraviolet haze shimmering around a blossoming jacaranda delivers a moment of transcendent enchantment.

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Oates leads us through Fox’s lurid world, drawing deliberately uncomfortable parallels between his calculated actions and the work of novelists and teachers, each of whom must also use enticement and enchantment to reach their mark.

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“She hated the idea of that Hollywood enchantment crossing over into political discourse,” explains Wilkinson.

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You’ll hear similar stories from a lot of astronomy enthusiasts, who say that seeing their first big planet was what sparked a lifelong enchantment with the stars.

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Related Words

• fascination