enthusiasm
Americannoun
-
absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit; lively interest.
He shows marked enthusiasm for his studies.
- Antonyms:
- indifference
-
an occupation, activity, or pursuit in which such interest is shown.
Hunting is his latest enthusiasm.
-
any of various forms of extreme religious devotion, usually associated with intense emotionalism and a break with orthodoxy.
noun
-
ardent and lively interest or eagerness
-
an object of keen interest; passion
-
archaic extravagant or unbalanced religious fervour
-
obsolete possession or inspiration by a god
Other Word Forms
- antienthusiasm noun
- hyperenthusiasm noun
- overenthusiasm noun
- preenthusiasm noun
- unenthusiasm noun
Etymology
Origin of enthusiasm
First recorded in 1570–80; from Late Latin enthūsiasmus, from Greek enthousiasmós, from enthousí(a) “possession by a god” ( énthous, variant of éntheos “having a god within,” from en- en- 2 + -thous, -theos “possessed by a god” + -ia -y 3 ( def. ) ) + -asmos, variant (after vowel stems) of -ismos -ism; theism ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Michael Green, chief market strategist at Simplify Asset Management, said fundamentals never justified some of the enthusiasm for overseas shares in the first place.
Despite her enthusiasm, the rigorous 12-month training process caught Paton by surprise.
From BBC
While the enthusiasm around AI that propelled Palantir and other tech companies last year has waned, the analysts at Morgan Stanley say Palantir’s competitive footing is unshakable.
From Barron's
The book’s lack of discipline is unfortunate because Mr. Ariosto’s enthusiasm for space is evident.
After plowing cash into gold exchange-traded funds over the past year, individual investors’ enthusiasm for the precious metal is showing some signs of cooling.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
