enthusiastic
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- antienthusiastic adjective
- enthusiastically adverb
- hyperenthusiastic adjective
- nonenthusiastic adjective
- overenthusiastic adjective
- pseudoenthusiastic adjective
- quasi-enthusiastic adjective
- unenthusiastic adjective
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.
In the case of “Pretty Ugly,” there are some top-tier folks, and they are all enthusiastic without prompting.
From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026
Nasdaq’s bump today could signal that investors are once again enthusiastic about artificial intelligence stocks, but it also means that expectations are sky high.
From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026
Palantir, with an even more enthusiastic fan base, was among the 20 most valuable S&P 500 companies at its November peak, fetching a ludicrous 150 times sales.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
She described Williams as "professional and enthusiastic" with a good relationship with pupils.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
Maxine Cooper asked me how to spell cooperative and enthusiastic, so obviously she had a terrific list.
From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson
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.
