Amaze

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /əˈmeɪz/

Definitions

1. To inspire feelings of surprise and admiration through extraordinary actions or attributes
2. To elicit wonder and astonishment in others by showcasing remarkable skills or features
3. To produce a strong feeling of wonder or shock due to something unexpectedly impressive

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "amaze" is that its core sense was once close to bewildering or confusing someone, not admiring them. Old English "āmasian" meant "to confuse, astonish," and Middle English speakers used the related "amasen" and "amase" mainly to mean "to bewilder, perplex." The wonder we now associate with the word grew out of that sense of being thrown off balance. The word is built from a prefix and a root. The "a-" is an intensifying prefix, and the root is "maze," which in English once also meant to astonish, bewilder, or daze. So "amaze" is essentially "to thoroughly maze someone," leaving them lost in their own surprise. The root itself may trace back to an ancient word meaning to beckon or signal, though that connection is uncertain.

Synonyms: astonish, astound, surprise

Antonyms: bore, disappoint