Word of the Month: Enrapture

David Zapatka

Reader Kim Park writes, “The December word of the month, bliss, struck such a beautiful chord with me, I began to think of words with a similar feel. I have always had a fondness for the word enrapture. It goes well with bliss and also brings up images of great happiness and delight.”

Enrapture /inˈrapCHər/ – verb (used with object); to fill with great happiness or delight; enchant; to have a powerful, agreeable and often overwhelming emotional effect on others. From Latin rapere, “to seize by force and to carry off.” Origin circa 1730-1740.

Following are examples of enrapture used in various media.

Books

“And what a vision of glorious beauty met his enraptured eyes, while the fresh sea-breeze entered, like life, into his heaving chest!”

The Giant of the North by R.M. Ballantyne

“She looked at him enraptured.”

The Bishop of Cottontown by John Trotwood Moore

Poetry

She turned to him when all was done, And gave him her thin hand, Exclaiming like an enraptured one, ‘This time it will be grand!’

The Satin Shoes by Thomas Hardy

The spirit is often enraptured With sweet tokens of love divine, But seldom in language so plain As spoken through music, to mine.

Music by Sallie Williams Hardcastle

News

Whether they leave us enraptured or crushed, they connect us at the gut level to the idea of being Americans, of governing ourselves. redding.com

Have you been enraptured with something or someone sometime in your life? Please share your experiences with our readers by submitting any thoughts you may have on this month’s column or any word you may like to share with our readers along with your insights and comments to [email protected].