Enthuse's Rise: From Disdain to Modern Usage

A Word's Unexpected Journey Have you ever felt a twinge of guilt using the word "enthuse"? For decades, it was considered a linguistic pariah, a word frowned upon by grammar guardians. Yet, "enthuse," born from the back-formation (the creation of a new word by removing a supposed affix) of "enthusiasm," has defied the odds and become a perfectly acceptable, even common, word. This is the remarkable story of its improbable rise—from linguistic outcast to mainstream acceptance....

March 7, 2025 · 3 min · 635 words · Amber Carter