French word

passionner

Pronunciation

IPA/pasjone/

Meaning

  • verbfascinate

Example

La musique me passionne.

Music fascinates me.

Illustration for passionner (fascinate)

More examples

Les histoires d'aventure me passionnent depuis toujours.

Adventure stories have fascinated me for as long as I can remember.

Core concept

A person absorbed by one subject until attention and energy keep returning to it.

Common phrases

  • passionner quelqu'un

    fascinate someone

  • se passionner pour

    become passionate about ___

  • passionner le public

    captivate the audience

Similar words

intéresser: To awaken interest and make someone pay attention to something.
fasciner: To hold someone's gaze through exceptional charm or appeal.
attirer: To draw someone nearer by attracting attention or interest.

Definition in French

Faire naître chez quelqu'un une passion ou un engouement intense pour une personne ou une chose.

Word origin

The verb passionner was formed in French from passion, a word inherited through Old French from Latin passio, whose early sense was suffering.

Usage tips

  • The reflexive form se passionner normally takes pour before its topic, as in se passionner pour la musique.

Other meanings

  • engrossverb
  • captivateverb

Opposites

  • ennuyerboreverb
  • désintéressermake someone lose interestverb

Related words

Word lists with this word