Agog

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /əˈɡɑɡ/

Definitions

1. Filled with eager anticipation or intense interest, especially in response to something exciting or remarkable
2. Experiencing a heightened sense of curiosity and excitement, often associated with eagerly anticipating something extraordinary or noteworthy
3. In a state of intense anticipation or fascination, often reflecting a strong desire to know or experience something remarkable or thrilling

Etymology: The adjective "agog" is an old word with a lively origin: it reached Middle English as "agogge," borrowed from Old French, where the phrase "en gogues" meant "in a merry mood." The "gogues" part was a word for joy or jollity, so the original sense was closer to high spirits than to the wide-eyed curiosity the word carries today. That shift from cheerful excitement to eager expectation is what makes the word interesting. Someone who was "agog" was not simply waiting; they were bubbling with a pleasant energy, the sort of mood that leads a person to lean forward and hang on every word of news. A related word in Italian, "agognare," meaning "to desire eagerly," shows the same eager, forward-leaning energy, though it does not appear to be the direct source of the English term.

Synonyms: eager, excited, enthusiastic, keen, curious

Antonyms: indifferent, apathetic, uninterested, disinterested, bored