Definition and Usage of the French Word Enchanté

Definition and Usage of the French Word Enchantà © French has long had an influence on the English language. The two languages  share the same  alphabet  and a number of  true cognates. But, the biggest influence of French on the English language may be the number of words- such  as  enchantà ©- that have been passed from the former to the latter tongue. The French word enchantà © is an adjective, but you are likely to use the term to express delight when meeting someone new. Definitions: Enchantà ©Ã‚  vs. Enchant The word  enchantà © in French means enchanted, delighted, overjoyed, smitten, or bewitched. In English, the word enchant means to influence by charms and incantation, to  bewitch, attract, move deeply, or rouse to ecstatic admiration. The similarities in the French and English terms are clear. The spellings are quite similar, but the pronunciations are a bit different. The word enchantà © is pronounced [a(n) sha(n) tay] in French. Not surprisingly, the English word enchant has an origin dating back centuries, having derived from its sister word  enchantà ©Ã‚  in French. Origin of Enchantà ©Ã‚  and Enchant The  Oxford Living Dictionaries  notes that the modern English term enchant actually comes from  Middle English, the language spoken in England from about 1100 to 1500. Enchant is derived from the late Middle English term meaning to put under a spell and delude. The term was originally spelled incant in Middle English, as in an incantation.​ Before that, the English word derived from the French term, enchanter, which in turn originated from the Latin incantare, meaning in   cantere,  to sing.  The French term  enchanter  is the infinitive form of the word, meaning to enchant, to delight, to be overjoyed, or to bewitch. Examples of  Enchantà © To gain a fuller understanding of  enchantà ©, it may be helpful to see how the term is used in French and translated into English. French Sentence(s) English Translation Je suis enchantà © de cette pià ¨ce. I'm delighted by this play. "Voici mon frà ¨re David.""Enchantà ©." "This is my brother David.""Nice to meet you." Cette forà ªt est enchantà ©e. This forest is enchanted. Note how, in the first two examples,  enchantà ©Ã‚  is translated as delighted or nice (as in delighted to meet you). The word, nice by itself translates as  agrà ©able  in French. The word nice only translates as  enchantà ©Ã‚  in the context of expressing delight or enchantment upon meeting someone. Enchantà © in French Literature The notion of enchantment has a firm grounding in French literature.  Ã‚  William C. Carter,  in his book, Marcel Proust: A Life, said that the famous French novelist always sought to enchant his readers: His intently seductive voice is similar to Walt Whitmans, whose sounds and words constantly seem to urge the reader to lie with him and exchange caresses. This brings you back, then, to the original meaning of the term  enchantà ©, meaning to bewitch or cast a spell on, which certainly makes it an alluring term. So, the next time you are searching for just the right word when you meet someone new, use the term  enchantà ©Ã‚  to show your delight at meeting that person or to cast a spell as you draw in your reader or listener.