What does enamor mean?
To enamor is to fill someone with love, delight, or powerful attraction — to charm them so thoroughly that affection takes hold. In practice, the verb almost always appears in its passive form: we say a traveler is 'enamored of' a city, or that someone is 'enamored with' an idea, meaning they are captivated by it. Both prepositions are accepted, though 'of' has a slightly more traditional flavor. The word belongs to an elevated, romantic register; it is more common in literature, journalism, and thoughtful prose than in everyday speech, where words like 'love' or 'adore' do simpler work. It derives ultimately from Latin amare, 'to love', via Old French, making it a cousin of 'amorous' and 'amour'. British English prefers the spelling 'enamour'. Whether applied to people, places, or pursuits, 'enamored' conveys a deep, often sudden enchantment — a state of being won over completely.
verbTo fill someone with love or a strong feeling of attraction; to charm or captivate. Used almost exclusively in the passive form 'be enamored of/with'.
- To fill with love or deep attraction; to captivate or charm (almost always used passively: be enamored of/with).
"She was enamored of the city's old bookshops and never wanted to leave."
"Visitors are quickly enamored of the village's cobblestone lanes and quiet cafés."
"He grew enamored with the idea of sailing around the world."
'Enamored of' and 'enamored with' are both correct — a rarity among English preposition pairs.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of enamor
Enamor entered English in the late Middle Ages, borrowed from Old French 'enamorer', which combines the prefix 'en-' with 'amour', itself descended from the Latin noun amor, 'love', from the verb amare. It thus shares its root with a whole family of affectionate words, including 'amorous', 'amateur', and 'amiable'. The spelling 'enamour' remains standard in British English, while American English favors 'enamor'.
Related word forms
How enamor is actually used
The verb is overwhelmingly used in the passive ('be enamored of/with'); active uses such as 'her beauty enamored him' are grammatical but literary and rare. Both prepositions 'of' and 'with' are accepted, though 'of' is often considered slightly more traditional or formal. The word carries a romantic, somewhat elevated register and can also describe fascination with ideas or things, not just people. British English typically spells it 'enamour', with the adjective 'enamoured'.
Easily confused with enamor
Not a different word but simply the standard British spelling of the same verb, pronounced identically.