enthusiastic
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of enthusiastic
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Greek enthousiastikós; see enthusiast ( def. ), -ic ( def. )
Explanation
Enthusiastic appreciation for something is more than just liking it — it's loving it. You're an enthusiastic fan of Italian food if you not only like it, you can't live without it. Enthusiastic's Greek origins paint a vivid picture of how an enthusiastic person got that way, as the word literally means "possessed by a god." You may recognize the "god" part of the word — theos, as in theology — "the study of God." If you're enthusiastic about working on your vocabulary words, you don't have to be reminded to do it — you can't wait.
Vocabulary lists containing enthusiastic
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Words to Describe Yourself on a Resume
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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.
"But by far, the loudest feedback we heard was from people who were enthusiastic supporters of the category, fellow music creators expressing their encouragement for keeping it."
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
Morgan Stanley isn't so enthusiastic about the home builder.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
“I would like to say I’m a very enthusiastic kid,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
The network did not simply move from being skeptical of AI to becoming enthusiastic about it.
From Salon ● Sep. 29, 2026
“That was us, a few months ago,” I tell Sara as we watch our brothers get a little too enthusiastic with the potato masher.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
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.
