Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “enchantment” come from?

Enchantment comes from Middle English enchauntement, from Old French enchantement, combining Old French en- and chanter (to sing), with the noun-forming suffix Old French -ment from Latin -mentum, ultimately from Latin mens meaning mind.

enchantment (English): The act of enchanting or the feeling of being...

Definitions

  1. The act of enchanting or the feeling of being...

Ancestry of “enchantment”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishenchauntementmagic, sorcery; sorcerous force
2Old Frenchenchantementcharm
3Old Frenchenchanterto enchant
4Latinincantō—
5Latincantō—
6Latincanō—
7Proto-Italickanōto sing
8Proto-Germanickanôvessel, vat, tub; boat
9Proto-Indo-Europeangan-a vessel, tub; a vessel, vat, tub

Words derived from “enchantment”

  • disenchantment
  • overenchantment
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gan- →