Dictionary

fascinate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈfæsɪneɪt/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin fascinātus, perfect passive participle of fascinō (“to enchant, bewitch, fascinate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from fascinum (“a phallus-shaped amulet worn around the neck in Ancient Rome; witchcraft”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix), itself of obscure origin.

Meanings

1. To evoke an intense interest or attraction in someone.
   • The flickering TV fascinated the cat.
2. To make someone hold motionless; to spellbind.
   • Leo, too, was strangely touched. Hitherto he had been fascinated against his better judgment, something as a bird is fascinated by a snake, but now I think that all this passed away, and he realised that he really loved this strange and glorious creature, as, alas! I loved her also. 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
   • We were fascinated by the potter's skill.
3. To be irresistibly charming or attractive to.
   • Her gait fascinates all men.

Forms

Deriveds

fascinator · refascinate · unfascinating · fascinated · fascinoma · fascinating

Relateds

fascination

Translations (55)

sv fascinera (to evoke interest or attraction) · gl fascinar (to evoke interest or attraction) · uk чарува́ти (to be charming or attractive) · ru очарова́ть (to be charming or attractive) · ar فَتَنَ (to evoke interest or attraction) · bg привличам (to evoke interest or attraction) · fr fasciner (to evoke interest or attraction) · mi ātahu (to be charming or attractive) · ru очарова́ть (to evoke interest or attraction) · es fascinar (to evoke interest or attraction) · cmn 吸引 (to evoke interest or attraction) · cmn 誘惑 /诱惑 (to evoke interest or attraction) · ru завора́живать (to evoke interest or attraction) · mi manawarū (to evoke interest or attraction) · fr fasciner (to be charming or attractive) · bg омайвам (to spellbind) · ru пленя́ть (to be charming or attractive) · fi lumoutua (to spellbind) · bg очаровам (to evoke interest or attraction) · uk зачаро́вувати (to spellbind) · el σαγηνεύω (to be charming or attractive) · ta கவர் (to evoke interest or attraction) · ru очаро́вывать (to be charming or attractive) · pl fascynować (to evoke interest or attraction) · sv fascinera (to spellbind) · cs fascinovat (to evoke interest or attraction) · pt fascinar (to evoke interest or attraction) · pl zafascynować (to evoke interest or attraction) · uk захо́плювати (to evoke interest or attraction) · de bezaubern (to be charming or attractive) · ca fascinar (to evoke interest or attraction) · de faszinieren (to be charming or attractive) · el γοητεύω (to be charming or attractive) · la fascinō (to spellbind) · fr fasciner (to spellbind) · eo fascini (to evoke interest or attraction) · de faszinieren (to spellbind) · gl fascinar (to spellbind) · cmn 迷住 (to evoke interest or attraction) · fi viehättää (to evoke interest or attraction) · la fascinō (to evoke interest or attraction) · el συναρπάζω (to spellbind) · gl fascinar (to be charming or attractive) · cs okouzlit (to be charming or attractive) · ja 魅惑する (to evoke interest or attraction) · fi viehättää (to be charming or attractive) · ru плени́ть (to be charming or attractive) · el συναρπάζω (to evoke interest or attraction) · cs fascinovat (to spellbind) · af fassineer (to evoke interest or attraction) · uk зачаро́вувати (to be charming or attractive) · nl fascineren (to evoke interest or attraction) · ru очаро́вывать (to evoke interest or attraction) · cs okouzlit (to spellbind) · de faszinieren (to evoke interest or attraction)