Amusements

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Recreational activities or events that offer enjoyment and entertainment to participants
2. Various forms of entertainment intended to engage and please audiences, providing enjoyment and distraction
3. Events or activities designed to provide fun and pleasurable experiences to those involved

Etymology: The plural "amusements" simply names the activities themselves, and its origin lies in a French verb that once meant to stun or distract a person. Old French "muser" meant to gaze idly, to loiter, or to be distracted, and it was fused with the prefix "a-" (from Latin "ad") to form "amuser," which came to mean to divert or entertain someone. Middle French then added the suffix "-ment," from Latin "-mentum," which turns a verb into a noun for the result or act, giving "amusement." English borrowed the noun from Middle French, so the word arrived with its sense of diversion already in place. The plural form, which is what the word is here, is the ordinary way English counts such pastimes, and it is the form that now most often refers to the places and rides people visit for fun.

Synonyms: entertainments, recreations, pastimes, diversions, pleasures

Antonyms: boredom, displeasure, disinterest, ennui, sadness