enthusiasmus

Forms

enthūsiasmus m (genitive enthūsiasmī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἐνθουσιασμός (enthousiasmós, “divine inspiration, enthusiasm”),^[1][2] from ἐνθουσιάζω (enthousiázō, “to be inspired or possessed by a god”), from ἔνθεος (éntheos, “possessed by a god”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Etymonline calls it Late Latin,^[2] but Ramminger notes that the TLL has only the Greek form; his examples are Neo-Latin, such as Birck's Stomius, where enthusiasm stirs poets.^[3]

Semantic evolution

In Neo-Latin it meant poetic frenzy, the furor poeticus.^[3][1] English took it over about 1600, from French and directly from Latin, and under the Puritans it came to mean excessive religious emotion.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 1600 – English borrows it as enthusiasm, from French and also directly from Latin.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (New Latin) Poetic fervour, inspired frenzy.^[3][1]

Related words

• English enthusiasm

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de