What does enthusiasm mean?

Definitions for enthusiasm
ɛnˈθu ziˌæz əmen·thu·si·asm

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word enthusiasm.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. enthusiasmnoun

    a feeling of excitement

  2. exuberance, enthusiasm, ebulliencenoun

    overflowing with eager enjoyment or approval

  3. enthusiasmnoun

    a lively interest

    "enthusiasm for his program is growing"

Wiktionary

  1. enthusiasmnoun

    Possession by a god; divine inspiration or frenzy.

  2. enthusiasmnoun

    Intensity of feeling; excited interest or eagerness.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Enthusiasmnoun

    Etymology: ἐνϑουσιασμὸς.

    Enthusiasm is founded neither on reason nor divine revelation, but rises from the conceits of a warmed or overweening brain. John Locke.

    Imaging is, in itself, the very height and life of poetry, which, by a kind of enthusiasm, or extraordinary emotion of soul, makes it seem to us that we behold those things which the poet paints. John Dryden, Juv. Preface.

ChatGPT

  1. enthusiasm

    Enthusiasm is a state of intense interest, enjoyment, or eagerness for something, typically characterized by a high level of energy or excitement. It often results in active participation or engagement in the activity or subject one is enthusiastic about.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Enthusiasmnoun

    inspiration as if by a divine or superhuman power; ecstasy; hence, a conceit of divine possession and revelation, or of being directly subject to some divine impulse

  2. Enthusiasmnoun

    a state of impassioned emotion; transport; elevation of fancy; exaltation of soul; as, the poetry of enthusiasm

  3. Enthusiasmnoun

    enkindled and kindling fervor of soul; strong excitement of feeling on behalf of a cause or a subject; ardent and imaginative zeal or interest; as, he engaged in his profession with enthusiasm

  4. Enthusiasmnoun

    lively manifestation of joy or zeal

  5. Etymology: [Gr. , fr. to be inspired or possessed by the god, fr. , , inspired: cf. enthousiasme. See Entheal, Theism.]

Wikidata

  1. Enthusiasm

    Enthusiasm originally meant inspiration or possession by a divine afflatus or by the presence of a god. Johnson's Dictionary, the first comprehensive dictionary of the English language, defines enthusiasm as "a vain belief of private revelation; a vain confidence of divine favour or communication." In current English vernacular the word simply means intense enjoyment, interest, or approval. Originally, an enthusiast was a person possessed by a god. Applied by the Greeks to manifestations of divine possession, by Apollo, or by Dionysus, the term enthusiasm was also used in a transferred or figurative sense. Socrates taught that the inspiration of poets is a form of enthusiasm. Its uses were confined to a belief in religious inspiration, or to intense religious fervour or emotion. Thus, a Syrian sect of the 4th century was known as the Enthusiasts. They believed that "by perpetual prayer, ascetic practices and contemplation, man could become inspired by the Holy Spirit, in spite of the ruling evil spirit, which the fall had given to him". From their belief in the efficacy of prayer, they were also known as Euchites.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Enthusiasm

    en-thū′zi-azm, n. intense interest: intensity of feeling: passionate zeal.—n. Enthū′siast, one inspired by enthusiasm: one who admires or loves intensely.—adjs. Enthusias′tic, -al, filled with enthusiasm; zealous: ardent.—adv. Enthusias′tically. [Through L., from Gr. enthusiasmos, a god-inspired zeal—enthousiazein, to be inspired by a god—en, in, theos, a god.]

The Roycroft Dictionary

  1. enthusiasm

    The great hill-climber.

Editors Contribution

  1. enthusiasm

    An energetic passion or focus.

    Her enthusiasm to unite people and promote working together for the optimum health, human rights, animal rights and shared prosperity of everyone was the truth and everyone knew and supported her honesty and truth.


    Submitted by MaryC on February 15, 2020  

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'enthusiasm' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3291

  2. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'enthusiasm' in Nouns Frequency: #1379

How to pronounce enthusiasm?

How to say enthusiasm in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of enthusiasm in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of enthusiasm in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of enthusiasm in a Sentence

  1. James Miervaldis:

    We're very happy with the bipartisan support from both sides of the aisle in the Congress, but even with that unprecedented level of just interest and enthusiasm to get this right, the 14-step process was still taking about three and a half years. And obviously with the evacuation, that - we don't have that time.

  2. Joe Desilets:

    The enthusiasm and desire to get involved and have an impact on behalf of conservative candidates is great, but it hurts the established and effective conservative organizations that all of these new groups want to emulate.

  3. Renowned Italian designer Giorgio Armani:

    Russia is a key market, with many special customers who have always embraced my vision of style and lifestyle with great enthusiasm.

  4. Oliver Wendell Holmes:

    It's faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes life worth living.

  5. Miha Hribenik:

    Once the cameras are switched off and the enthusiasm over Friday's summit declaration -- which promises a peaceful and nuclear-free Korean peninsula -- subsides, both sides will need to roll up their sleeves and get to work, we continue to maintain our long-standing view that North Korea under Kim Jong Un has no intention of unilaterally denuclearizing without the kind of security guarantees North Korea and the US can not realistically provide.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

enthusiasm#10000#10948#100000

Translations for enthusiasm

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"enthusiasm." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 15 May 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/enthusiasm>.

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