'amuse' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'amuser,' where 'a-' meant 'to' and 'muser' meant 'to muse or ponder.'

'amuser' transformed into the English word 'amuse,' and eventually became the adjective 'amusive' in modern English.

Initially, it meant 'to entertain or engage,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.