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

• addict
• aficionado
• afficionado
• buff
• bug
• devotee
• fan
• fanatic
• fancier
• fiend
• fool
• freak
• habitué
• habitue
• head
• hound
• junkie
• junky
• lover
• maniac
• maven
• mavin
• nut
• sucker

Examples of enthusiast in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Take this time to meet like-minded fashion enthusiasts and build a community whether coming with friends or alone. —Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 5 Sep. 2024

Community Adoption: Growing Influence and Engagement Early adoption of Needed Academy has been strong among health practitioners and women's health enthusiasts. —Katie Salcius, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024

The four-part series features over twenty interviews with insiders and enthusiasts of Lisa Frank Inc., along with multiple journalists. —Selome Hailu, Variety, 5 Sep. 2024

But on a handful of occasions, his eponymous house also caused fragrance enthusiasts a little twinge of sadness when it’s been forced to discontinue some of its greatest hits. —Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2024

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

Kids Definition

enthusiast

noun

en·​thu·​si·​ast in-ˈth(y)ü-zē-ˌast 

-əst

: a person filled with enthusiasm