Captivate
/ˈkæp.tɪ.veɪt/noun
To attract and hold the attention or interest of someone strongly.
Did you know?Captivate comes from Latin captīvus, meaning “taken prisoner,” so the word’s emotional power began as the language of capture, not charm.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
captīvus
“a prisoner; one taken captive”
Late Latin
Latin
captīvāre
“to take prisoner, seize”
Old French
Old French
captiver
“to make captive; subdue”
16th Century
English
captivate
“to take captive; enslave”
Modern English
English
captivate
“to charm or hold the attention of strongly”