enthusiasm

nouncommon in dialogue

//ɪnˈθuziæzəm//
//ɪnˈθjuːziæzm̩//
//-θɪu̯-//
//ɛn-//

An intensity of feeling; an excited interest or eagerness.

noun

1
An intensity of feeling; an excited interest or eagerness.
Try to curb your enthusiasm.
They have a great enthusiasm for country music.
By the end of this period pupils are expected to be reading simple books independently and with enthusiasm.
2
Something in which one is keenly interested.
My main enthusiasm is attending and seeing the progress and interest of collectors, to meet old friends, and hopefully to make new friends.
Other Adamsian enthusiasms included: fast cars; restaurants; Bach, the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Dire Straits; […]
3
historicalPossession by a god; divine inspiration or frenzy.
The intoxication that they sought was that of ‘enthusiasm’, of union with the god.

Etymology

First attested from 1603, from Middle French enthousiasme, from Late Latin enthusiasmus, from Ancient Greek ἐνθουσιασμός (enthousiasmós), from ἐν (en, “in”) + θεός (theós, “god”) + οὐσία (ousía, “essence”).

Forms

plural: enthusiasms

entertainer · A person who entertains others, esp. as a profession, as a…entertaining · Very amusing; that entertains.entertainment · An activity designed to give pleasure, enjoyment, diversion,…

enthusiasm · An intensity of feeling; an excited interest or eagerness.

enthusiastic · With zealous fervor; excited, motivated.entire · Whole; complete.entirely · To the full or entire extent.

The neighbouring pages — Alphabetical order follows the rules of the language, not byte values: an accent decides only between two otherwise identical words, and Spanish files Ñ as a letter of its own.