ἐνθουσιασμός Ancient Greek · revision 2670

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=5th century BC, Democritus|origins=grc ἔνθεος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /en.tʰuː.si.az.mós/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /en.θu.si.azˈmos/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /en.θu.si.azˈmos/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ἐνθουσῐᾰσμός''' (enthousiasmós) ''m'' (genitive ἐνθουσῐᾰσμοῦ); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is derived from [[ἐνθουσιάζω|tr=enthousiázō|t=to be inspired, possessed by a god]] with the suffix [[m|grc|-μός|tr=-mós]].^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) The verb comes from [[ἔνθεος|tr=éntheos|t=having a god within]], formed from [[ἐν|tr=en|t=in]] and [[θεός|tr=theós|t=god]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Democritus says that whatever a poet writes “with ''enthousiasmos'' and holy spirit” is very fine.^(DGE)^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ For Plato it was divine possession or inspiration, as of the diviner whose understanding is changed by illness or by some inspiration.^(DGE)^(CGL 2021) Aristotle describes it as an emotion of the soul produced by certain kinds of music.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021) Diodorus uses it for the frenzy of the Pythia at Delphi, Strabo says it seems to involve a divine breath close to prophecy, and Plotinus and Iamblichus use it for inspired divination.^(DGE) Polybius and Plutarch use it more loosely for a sudden transport of feeling and passionate enthusiasm.^(CGL 2021)

+

+ English ''enthusiasm'' came from French and Late Latin about 1600; under the Puritans it took on the derogatory sense of excessive religious emotion.^(Etymonline) Modern Greek [[m|el|ενθουσιασμός|tr=enthousiasmós]] is a learned word, partly modelled on French ''enthousiasme''.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 5th century BC – Democritus uses it for poetic inspiration.^(DGE)^(LSJ 1940)

+ * 5th–4th century BC – Plato uses it for divine possession.^(DGE)^(CGL 2021)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle uses it for rapture produced by music.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ * 2nd century BC – Polybius uses it for passionate enthusiasm.^(CGL 2021)

+ * 3rd century AD – Plotinus uses it for inspired divination.^(DGE)

+ * c. 1600 – English borrows ''enthusiasm''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Divine possession, [[m|en|inspiration]].^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)

+ # Rapture, frenzy, as produced by music.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940)

+ # A sudden transport of emotion; passionate [[m|en|enthusiasm]].^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ἐνθουσιάζω|tr=enthousiázō]]

+ * [[ἔνθεος|tr=éntheos]]

+ * [[θεός|tr=theós]]

+ * [[en|enthusiasm]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}