captivation

cap·ti·vate

[kap-tuh-veyt]
verb (used with object), cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing.
1.
to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant: Her blue eyes and red hair captivated him.
2.
Obsolete. to capture; subjugate.

Origin:
1520–30; < Late Latin captīvātus (past participle of captīvāre to take captive), equivalent to Latin captīv(us) captive + -ātus -ate1

cap·ti·vat·ing·ly, adverb
cap·ti·va·tion, noun
cap·ti·va·tive, adjective
cap·ti·va·tor, noun
un·cap·ti·vat·ed, adjective
un·cap·ti·vat·ing, adjective
un·cap·ti·va·tive, adjective


1. fascinate, bewitch, charm. 2. subdue.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To captivation
00:10
Captivation is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
Collins
World English Dictionary
captivate (ˈkæptɪˌveɪt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  to hold the attention of by fascinating; enchant
2.  an obsolete word for capture
 
[C16: from Late Latin captivāre, from captīvuscaptive]
 
'captivatingly
 
adv
 
capti'vation
 
n
 
'captivator
 
n

captivate (ˈkæptɪˌveɪt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  to hold the attention of by fascinating; enchant
2.  an obsolete word for capture
 
[C16: from Late Latin captivāre, from captīvuscaptive]
 
'captivatingly
 
adv
 
capti'vation
 
n
 
'captivator
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

captivate
c.1526, "to enthrall with charm," from L.L. captivat-, pp. stem of captivare "to take," from captivus (see captive). Lit. sense (c.1555) is rare or obs. Captivated is attested from 1621; captivating from 1675.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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