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entice

[en-tahys]
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verb (used with object), en·ticed, en·tic·ing.
  1. to lead on by exciting hope or desire; allure; inveigle: They were enticed westward by dreams of gold.
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Origin of entice

1250–1300; Middle English enticen < Old French enticier to incite < Vulgar Latin *intitiāre, equivalent to Latin in- in-2 + -titiāre, verbal derivative of *titius, for titiō piece of burning wood
Related formsen·tic·ing·ly, adverben·tic·ing·ness, nounnon·en·tic·ing, adjectivenon·en·tic·ing·ly, adverbun·en·ticed, adjectiveun·en·tic·ing, adjective

Synonyms

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lure, attract, decoy, tempt.

Antonyms

repel.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for enticingly

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • From the seat, enticingly, she offered him the place beside her.

    The Tragic Muse

    Henry James

  • All the chairs in the room were broad and deep and enticingly comfortable.

    The Heart of Arethusa

    Francis Barton Fox

  • He played it so enticingly, so temptingly, that it ought to have melted their hearts.

  • It was so enticingly easy to speak of this rather than of that which he had on his mind.

    Mogens and Other Stories

    Jens Peter Jacobsen

  • He was so kind, so enticingly gentle; he had such beautiful eyes.

    December Love

    Robert Hichens

British Dictionary definitions for enticingly

entice

verb
  1. (tr) to attract or draw towards oneself by exciting hope or desire; tempt; allure
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Derived Formsenticement, nounenticer, nounenticing, adjectiveenticingly, adverbenticingness, noun

Word Origin

C13: from Old French enticier, from Vulgar Latin intitiāre (unattested) to incite, from Latin titiō firebrand
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for enticingly

entice

v.

late 13c., intice, from Old French enticier "to stir up (fire), to excite, incite," perhaps from Vulgar Latin *intitiare "set on fire," from Latin in- "in" (see in- (2)) + titio (genitive titionis) "firebrand," of uncertain origin. Meaning "to allure, attract" is from c.1300. Related: Enticed; enticing.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper