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.
The moves underscore investors’ enthusiastic response to the winners of earnings season, which has been among the best in recent memory.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
Microsoft seemed more enthusiastic about decarbonization before the data center boom.
From Slate • May 3, 2026
Leading into the report, investors had become enthusiastic about a report saying that Qualcomm was being tapped to work with OpenAI on chips for an agentic-AI smartphone.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026
In the case of “Pretty Ugly,” there are some top-tier folks, and they are all enthusiastic without prompting.
From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026
She probably would have been enthusiastic if we’d offered to make mittens for the animals.
From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty
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.
