'Enthusiasm' definitions:

Definition of 'enthusiasm'

(from WordNet)
noun
A feeling of excitement
noun
Overflowing with eager enjoyment or approval [syn: exuberance, enthusiasm, ebullience]
noun
A lively interest; "enthusiasm for his program is growing"

Definition of 'Enthusiasm'

From: GCIDE
  • Enthusiasm \En*thu"si*asm\, n. [Gr. ?, fr. ? to be inspired or possessed by the god, fr. ?, ?, inspired: cf. enthousiasme. See Entheal, Theism.]
  • 1. Inspiration as if by a divine or superhuman power; ecstasy; hence, a conceit of divine possession and revelation, or of being directly subject to some divine impulse. [1913 Webster]
  • Enthusiasm is founded neither on reason nor divine revelation, but rises from the conceits of a warmed or overweening imagination. --Locke. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. A state of impassioned emotion; transport; elevation of fancy; exaltation of soul; as, the poetry of enthusiasm. [1913 Webster]
  • Resolutions adopted in enthusiasm are often repented of when excitement has been succeeded by the wearing duties of hard everyday routine. --Froude. [1913 Webster]
  • Exhibiting the seeming contradiction of susceptibility to enthusiasm and calculating shrewdness. --Bancroft. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Enkindled and kindling fervor of soul; strong excitement of feeling on behalf of a cause or a subject; ardent and imaginative zeal or interest; as, he engaged in his profession with enthusiasm. [1913 Webster]
  • Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. --Emerson. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. Lively manifestation of joy or zeal. [1913 Webster]
  • Philip was greeted with a tumultuous enthusiasm. --Prescott. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'enthusiasm'

From: Moby Thesaurus