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captivate

[ kap-tuh-veyt ]
/ ˈkæp təˌveɪt /

verb (used with object), cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing.

to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant: Her blue eyes and red hair captivated him.
Obsolete. to capture; subjugate.

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Origin of captivate

1520–30; < Late Latin captīvātus (past participle of captīvāre to take captive), equivalent to Latin captīv(us) captive + -ātus -ate1

SYNONYMS FOR captivate

1 fascinate, bewitch, charm.
2 subdue.

OTHER WORDS FROM captivate

Words nearby captivate

captainship, captan, captcha, caption, captious, captivate, captive, captive audience, captive market, captivity, captopril
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for captivator

  • His errand was to produce a deadly quarrel between the captive soul and the wicked one, its captivator.

    The Parables of Our Lord|William Arnot

  • She's a dressmaker by trade, she says; and a captivator of foolish young men by nature—don't go anigh her.

    All Sorts and Conditions of Men|Walter Besant

British Dictionary definitions for captivator

captivate
/ (ˈkæptɪˌveɪt) /

verb (tr)

to hold the attention of by fascinating; enchant
an obsolete word for capture

Derived forms of captivate

captivatingly, adverbcaptivation, nouncaptivator, noun

Word Origin for captivate

C16: from Late Latin captivāre, from captīvus captive
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