enthuse

First attested from 1827. Back-formation from enthusiasm, from Ancient Greek ἔνθεος (éntheos, “possessed by a god”), from ἐν (en, “in”) + θεός (theós, “god”)

• (UK, Canada) IPA^(key): /ɛnˈθjuːz/, /ɪnˈθjuːz/
• (US, Canada) IPA^(key): /ɛnˈθuz/, /ɪnˈθuz/
• (Wales, Canada) IPA^(key): /ɛnˈθɪu̯z/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːz

enthuse (third-person singular simple present enthuses, present participle enthusing, simple past and past participle enthused)

1. (intransitive) To show enthusiasm.
   • 1970, Julian Huxley, Memories:

     a splendid performance, and I was enthusing over it

2. (proscribed, sometimes humorous) To cause (someone) to feel enthusiasm or to be enthusiastic.

   The novelty of the film enthused the audience.

   • 2020 June 3, Sam Mullins OBE discusses with Stefanie Foster, “LTM: a new chapter begins at 40”, in Rail, page 54:

     One of the museum's greatest strengths is its focus on educating and enthusing children from an early age, and it's something that Mullins is especially proud of.

• enthusiasm
• enthusiast
• enthusiastic

• “enthuse”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

• ensueth, huntees