reenthuse

Why this word is great

REENTHUSE — [Verb] To make enthusiastic again. From re- ("again") + enthuse ("to make enthusiastic"), a back-formation from "enthusiasm," itself rooted in the Greek enthousiasmos ("divine inspiration"). Unlike "reinvigorate" (which restores energy without specifying joy) or "rekindle" (which revives interest but not necessarily fervor), "reenthuse" is the deliberate act of reigniting a spark—not just of attention, but of delight. It is the teacher who transforms a listless classroom into a chorus of raised hands, the faded hobbyist who rediscovers the thrill of their craft under a friend’s encouragement, or the way an old song, played at the right volume on the right evening, can make the heart remember how to ache. Enthusiasm is fragile; to reenthuse is to insist that it need not be finite.