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English

Wikipedia has an article on: Enthusiasm

Etymology

First attested from 1603, from Ancient Greek ἐνθουσιασμός, from ἔνθεος ‘possessed by a god’, from ἐν- ‘in’ + θεός ‘god’.

Pronunciation

Noun

Singular enthusiasm

Plural enthusiasms

enthusiasm (plural enthusiasms)

  1. (obsolete or historical) Possession by a god; divine inspiration or frenzy.
    • 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, ch. 1
      The intoxication that they sought was that of ‘enthusiasm’, of union with the god.
  2. Intensity of feeling; excited interest or eagerness.

Related terms

 

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