Nearby Words
noun
1.
absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit; lively interest: He shows marked enthusiasm for his studies.
2.
an occupation, activity, or pursuit in which such interest is shown: Hunting is his latest enthusiasm.
3.
any of various forms of extreme religious devotion, usually associated with intense emotionalism and a break with orthodoxy.
Origin:
1570–80; < Late Latin enthūsiasmus < Greek enthousiasmós, equivalent to enthousí(a) possession by a god (énthous, variant of éntheos having a god within, equivalent to en- en-2 + -thous, -theos god-possessing + -ia y3) + -asmos, variant, after vowel stems, of -ismos -ism
1570–80; < Late Latin enthūsiasmus < Greek enthousiasmós, equivalent to enthousí(a) possession by a god (énthous, variant of éntheos having a god within, equivalent to en- en-2 + -thous, -theos god-possessing + -ia y3) + -asmos, variant, after vowel stems, of -ismos -ism
Related forms
an·ti·en·thu·si·asm, noun
hy·per·en·thu·si·asm, noun
o·ver·en·thu·si·asm, noun
pre·en·thu·si·asm, noun
un·en·thu·si·asm, noun
Synonyms
1. eagerness, warmth, fervor, zeal, ardor, passion, devotion.
1. eagerness, warmth, fervor, zeal, ardor, passion, devotion.
Antonyms
1. indifference.
1. indifference.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Enthusiasms
is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
enthusiasm
c.1600, from M.Fr. enthousiasme, from Gk. enthousiasmos, from enthousiazein "be inspired," from entheos "inspired, possessed by a god," from en- "in" + theos "god" (see Thea). Acquired a derogatory sense of "excessive religious emotion" (1650s) under the Puritans; generalized
EXPANDsense of "fervor, zeal" (the main modern sense) is first recorded 1716.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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