agog
UK[əˈɡɒɡ]US[əˈɡɑːɡ]
adj
Very eager or curious to hear or see something.
Etymology
The word 'agog' entered English in the early 16th century, borrowed from the Old French phrase 'en gogues', meaning 'in a merry mood, in mirth'. The Old French 'gogue' likely meant 'fun' or 'merriment'. The original sense in English was 'in a state of eager excitement, astir', which has narrowed and intensified over time to its current meaning of keenly expectant curiosity. The journey from a phrase describing a festive state of mind to a single word denoting intense anticipation illustrates the process of semantic specialization within the language.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword. Its functional role is as a single, indivisible adjective.
Examples
The audience was agog with anticipation for the magician's final trick.
The children were agog as the storyteller described the hidden treasure.
The whole town was agog with the latest piece of scandalous news.