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Passion vs Enthusiasm - What's the difference?

passion | enthusiasm |

Enthusiasm is a synonym of passion.



As nouns the difference between passion and enthusiasm

is that passion is any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or hate while enthusiasm is possession by a god; divine inspiration or frenzy.

As a verb passion

is to suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.

passion

English

Noun

  • Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or hate.
    • We share a passion for books.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=January 16 , author=Saj Chowdhury , title=Sunderland 1 - 1 Newcastle , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=That was partly because of a swirling wind that made precision passing difficult and also a derby atmosphere where the emphasis seemed to be on passion rather than football.}}
  • Fervor, determination.
  • An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.
    • It started as a hobby, but now my motorbike collection has become my passion .
  • sexual intercourse, especially when very emotional
    • We shared a night of passion .
  • The suffering of Jesus leading up to and during his crucifixion.
  • A play, musical composition or display meant to commemorate the suffering of Jesus.
  • (obsolete) Suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress.
    • a cardiac passion
  • * Wyclif Bible (Rom. viii. 18)
    • the passions of this time
  • (obsolete) The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition; opposed to action .
  • * John Locke
    • A body at rest affords us no idea of any active power to move, and, when set is motion, it is rather a passion than an action in it.
  • (obsolete) Capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • mouldable and not mouldable, scissible and not scissible, and many other passions of matter
  • (obsolete) An innate quality, property, or attribute of a thing.
    • to obtain the knowledge of some passion of the circle. (rfex)
  • (obsolete) Disorder of the mind; madness.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Synonyms

    * ardor, fire in the belly, zeal

    Derived terms

    * passionflower * passion fruit, passionfruit * Passion Sunday * pash * passion pop

    Related terms

    * passionate * passive * passivity * patience * patient

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Dumbly she passions , frantically she doteth.
  • To give a passionate character to.
    • (Keats)

    References

    * ----

    enthusiasm

    English

    (wikipedia enthusiasm)

    Noun

  • (obsolete, or, historical) Possession by a god; divine inspiration or frenzy.
  • * 1946 , Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy , ch. 1
    • The intoxication that they sought was that of ‘enthusiasm ’, of union with the god.
  • Intensity of feeling; excited interest or eagerness.
  • Something in which one is keenly interested.
  • * 1968 , Central States Archaeological Journal (volumes 15-16, page 154)
    • My main enthusiasm is attending and seeing the progress and interest of collectors, to meet old friends, and hopefully to make new friends.
  • * 2012 , Nicholas Joll, Philosophy and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (page 23)
    • Other Adamsian enthusiasms included: fast cars; restaurants; Bach, the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Dire Straits;

    Related terms

    * enthuse * enthusiast * enthusiastic * enthusiastically