enthuse
UK[ɪnˈθjuːz]US[ɪnˈθuːz]
v
To express strong excitement or interest about something.
v
To make someone feel very interested and excited.
Morpheme Breakdown
en
thus
en
in, into
thus
god, spirit
Etymology
The verb 'enthuse' is a modern back-formation from the noun 'enthusiasm'. 'Enthusiasm' itself entered English in the early 17th century from Late Latin enthusiasmus, which was borrowed from Greek enthousiasmos, meaning "inspiration or possession by a god". The Greek word was built from enthous, meaning "possessed by a god" or "inspired", which literally breaks down into en- ("in") + theos ("god"). Therefore, the original, literal sense was a state of divine inspiration. The modern verb 'enthuse', coined in the 19th century, retains this core logic: to put spirit or passionate energy into (en-) a person or a subject, moving from a divine context to a secular one describing intense excitement or fervor.
Analysis
Structure: en (in, into) + thus (god, spirit)
- en: A prefix of Greek origin via Latin, meaning "in, into, within". It functions as an intensifier or a verb-forming prefix.
- thus: A root from Greek theos, meaning "god, deity, divine spirit". In this word, it functions as the core semantic element.
Examples
She always manages to enthuse her students about classical literature.
He didn't enthuse over the proposal as much as we had hoped.
The speaker's ability to enthuse the crowd was remarkable.