amuser

Meaning

  1. (transitive) to amuse, to entertain
  2. (reflexive) to have fun, to enjoy oneself

Frequency

B1
Pronounced as (IPA)
/a.my.ze/
Etymology

In summary

Inherited from Middle French amuser (“to amuse, divert, babble”), from Old French amuser (“to stupefy, waste time, be lost in thought”), from a- + muser (“to stare stupidly at, gape, wander, waste time, loiter, think carefully about, attend to”), of uncertain and obscure origin. Cognate with Occitan musa (“idle waiting”), Italian musare (“to gape idly about”). Possibly from Old French *mus (“snout”) from Vulgar Latin *mūsa (“snout”) (compare Medieval Latin mūsum (“muzzle, snout”)), from Proto-Germanic *mū- (“muzzle, snout”), from Proto-Indo-European *mū- (“lips, muzzle”). Compare German Maul (“muzzle, snout”). An alternative etymology connects Old French muser and Occitan musa with Old High German muoza (“careful attention, leisure, idleness”), from Proto-Germanic *mōtǭ (“leave, permission”), from Proto-Indo-European *med- (“to acquire, possess, control”). Compare also Old High German muozōn (“to be idle, have leisure or opportunity”), German Muße (“leisure”). More at empty.

Bookmark this

Improve your pronunciation

French

Start learning French with learnfeliz.

Practice speaking and memorizing "amuser" and many other words and sentences in French.

Go to our French course page

Notes

Sign in to write sticky notes
Continue