enamored
UK[ɪˈnæməd]US[ɪˈnæmərd]
adj
Feeling or filled with love or admiration for someone or something.
Morpheme Breakdown
en
amor
ed
en
to put into, to cause to be
amor
love
ed
Etymology
The word 'enamored' traces its lineage to the Latin verb 'amare', meaning "to love". This root gave rise to the noun 'amor' (love), which was absorbed into Old French as 'amour'. The Old French verb 'enamourer' was formed by adding the intensive prefix 'en-' (to put into a state of) to 'amour', creating the sense "to inspire with love". This verb was adopted into Middle English as 'enamouren', and the modern participial adjective 'enamored' retains the core logic of being "put into a state of love" or "filled with love".
Analysis
Structure: en + amor + ed
- en: A prefix of Latin origin via French, meaning "to put into, to cause to be".
- amor: A root of Latin origin, meaning "love".
- ed: A suffix of Old English origin, used to form adjectives from verbs or nouns.
Examples
He was completely enamored with the new art exhibit.
She became enamored of the idea of living abroad.
The audience was enamored by the pianist's performance.