Enchaunten

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Placed under a spell by magic, so that one is held in thrall by sorcery or witchcraft
2. Affected by sorcery, having been bewitched so as to lose free will or be controlled by a charm
3. Subjected to a magical spell that binds or captivates someone through supernatural power

Etymology: "Enchaunten" is a Middle English form, the past participle of the verb "enchaunten" (also spelled "enchanten" or "enchaunte"), meaning "to bewitch." The verb came into English from Old French "enchanter," which descended from Latin "incantare," "to chant a spell against," built from "in-" and "cantare," "to sing." The underlying idea is that magic worked through chanted formulas, so to be enchanted was literally to have been sung over. The Latin root gave English a family of words that keep that spell-singing sense. "Incantation" is the direct descendant of the Latin noun, while "chant" and "cantor" come from the same root "cantare." The relationship between sung words and magical control runs through all of them, which is why a sorcerer's charm and a choir's song share a common ancestor.

Synonyms: bewitch, charm, beguile, hex, spellbind

Antonyms: disenchant, repel