enamored

Where does the word "enamored" come from? It comes from Latin amare, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

Enamored’s story begins in Latin: amare meant “to love.” The root of 'amorous', 'amiable' and 'amateur'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as amour. Love, from amare. By medieval, Old French speakers had reshaped it into enamourer. To inspire with love, from en- and amour. It reached English by 1400s as enamored. Settled as the English word for being filled with love or strong liking for something. Today, enamored means filled with love or a strong liking for someone or something.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient amare "to love", the root of 'amorous', 'amiable' and 'amateur'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval amour "love", love, from amare.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval enamourer "to inspire with love", to inspire with love, from en- and amour.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1400s enamored "filled with love or a strong liking for something", settled as the English word for being filled with love or strong liking for something.