eagerness — keen desire or enthusiasm to do or have something
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: keen desire or enthusiasm to do or have something
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈiːɡərnəs/
Example Sentences
- His eagerness to eat pizza was so obvious that he started drooling during the commercial.
- The students' eagerness to leave class was matched only by their teacher's eagerness to end it.
- She expressed her eagerness to participate in the volunteer program.
eagerness
NOUN[/ˈiːɡərnəs/]
keen desire or enthusiasm to do or have something
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Old French 'aigre' (sharp, keen), which was adopted into Middle English as 'eager' to describe a keen or intense desire. The sense evolved from the literal meaning of sharpness—like a keen blade—to metaphorically express the intensity of longing or enthusiasm.
Breakdown
eager (keen, desirous) + -ness (state or quality). The root 'eager' comes from Old French 'aigre' meaning sharp or acute, while the suffix '-ness' converts the adjective into an abstract noun denoting the condition or intensity of being eager.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“His eagerness to eat pizza was so obvious that he started drooling during the commercial.”
“The students' eagerness to leave class was matched only by their teacher's eagerness to end it.”
“She expressed her eagerness to participate in the volunteer program.”
“The puppy's eagerness to play was evident from its constant tail wagging.”
📚Related Words
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