enthusiast

noun

en·​thu·​si·​ast in-ˈthü-zē-ˌast 

-əst,

en-,

 also  -ˈthyü-

: a person filled with enthusiasm: such as

a

: one who is ardently attached to a cause, object, or pursuit

a sports car enthusiast

b

: one who tends to become ardently absorbed in an interest

Synonyms

• lover
• fan
• sucker
• fanatic

Examples of enthusiast in a Sentence

skiing enthusiasts can't wait for the first snowfall of the season

Recent Examples on the Web

With pet-friendly outdoor seating, a rotating lineup of food trucks, and a vibrant atmosphere featuring live music and trivia nights, even non-beer enthusiasts will find plenty to do. —Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2025

The northern coast of the Dominican Republic is a haven for watersports enthusiasts looking to spend their days surfing, paddleboarding, sailing, and more. —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2025

Fitness enthusiasts can also burn off indulgent pasta dinners with a full schedule of light Pilates, Zumba, and AquaGym classes daily. —Alexandra Kirkman, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025

Draco Malfoy enthusiasts may opt for the Slytherin Doughnut. —Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "person claiming to receive divine communication or inspiration, member of a putative early Christian sect making such claims," borrowed from Late Greek enthousiastḗs, going back to Greek, "person possessed by a god," from enthousiad-, stem of enthousiázein "to be inspired or possessed by a god" + -tēs, agent suffix — more at enthusiasm

First Known Use

1748, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for enthusiast

• iconoclast
• osteoblast
• osteoclast
• aghast
• amassed
• biassed
• broadcast
• bypassed
• downcast
• forecast
• foremast
• harassed

Kids Definition

enthusiast

noun

en·​thu·​si·​ast in-ˈth(y)ü-zē-ˌast 

-əst

: a person filled with enthusiasm