enthousiaste

Forms

enthousiaste (plural enthousiastes)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἐνθουσιαστής (enthousiastḗs), a Late Greek word of the 2nd century AD.^[2][3][1] The Greek noun was formed on the stem of ἐνθουσιασμός (enthousiasmós, “divine transport”), the source of enthousiasme.^[2][3][4] Bloch and Wartburg note that the French word followed the semantic development of that noun.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1544, in Mathée's translation of Theodoret, as a noun for one who claims to be inspired by the divinity.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Like enthousiasme, the word first belonged to religious and poetic inspiration: an enthousiaste was a person possessed or carried away by a god, and later a visionary who believes himself inspired.^[3][5] It was applied in particular to members of certain English sects.^[3]

From the late 18th century it came to mean someone who shows lively, even excessive, admiration for something: Diderot uses the noun in this sense before 1784, and Madame de Staël has the adjective in 1786.^[2][3] Today the word is used mostly as an adjective, of people who feel enthusiasm and of the things that show it.^[3][6] The adverb enthousiastement (late 19th century) is rare.^[3]

Timeline

• 1544 – First record, as a noun, in Mathée's translation of Theodoret: one who claims divine inspiration.^[2]
• before 1784 – Diderot uses it of a person who shows excessive admiration.^[2]
• 1786 – Madame de Staël uses it as an adjective.^[2][3]
• late 19th century – The adverb enthousiastement is formed.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Feeling or showing enthousiasme, eager admiration or zeal: des spectateurs enthousiastes, une lettre enthousiaste.^[6][7]
2. Easily carried away or exalted.^[7][5]
3. (dated) Inspired by the divinity or by poetic inspiration.^[2][6]

Noun

1. A person who feels enthusiasm for someone or something, an enthusiast.^[5][1]
2. (dated) A person who believes himself inspired by God, a visionary.^[7][5]

Word family

• enthousiastement

Related words

• enthousiasme
• enthousiasmer

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse