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.
There was an “undo auto-add” option, but it appeared in smaller, considerably less enthusiastic type.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
AI responses are often too agreeable, too enthusiastic and too dramatic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
A group of South Korean tourists burst into enthusiastic applause.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
My socials are inundated with videos of enthusiastic clients filming themselves in scan machines, getting their bloods taken and testing their grip strength.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
“They were in the mountain laboratory. The young enthusiastic scientists had all ganged up on that cynical old scientist who didn’t want to help.”
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
