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 I remember her earrings, and the pants, and how much fun it was to meet someone who was so enthusiastic about something so delightfully specific.
From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026
Lowe, who later became a bishop, had been an enthusiastic supporter of NOS and waved away concerns from fellow clergy as early as 1992.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
Morgan Stanley isn't so enthusiastic about the home builder.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
Ericka at first takes only a nominally enthusiastic attitude toward vying for the crown, and she’s not particularly antipathetic to Paulina either—at least until she witnesses Paulina’s cruel and domineering behavior toward her fellow students.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
The boys suspected their parents would not be enthusiastic about their paleontology purchases.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
