captivates - Meaning, Image, Examples & Etymology - Learn English Visually

captivates

|cap/ti/vates|

/ˈkæptɪveɪt/

(captivate)

charm and attract

Base Form	Plural	Present	3rd Person Sing.	Past	Past Participle	Present Participle	Comparative	Superlative	Noun	Adjective	Adverb
captivate	captivations	captivates	captivates	captivated	captivated	captivating	more captivating	most captivating	captivation	captivating	captivatingly

Etymology

Etymology Information

'captivate' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'captivus' (meaning 'taken, captured'), ultimately related to 'capere' meaning 'to take'.

Historical Evolution

'captivate' changed through Medieval/Old French forms such as 'captiver' and late Latin 'captivare' before becoming the modern English 'captivate'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'to take prisoner' or 'to seize', but over time it evolved into the current primary sense of 'to attract and charm'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Verb 1

to attract and hold the interest and attention of someone; to charm or enchant

Her performance captivates everyone in the audience.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Verb 2

to take or hold someone as a captive (now rare or figurative in modern use)

In older stories, a warlord often captivates his enemies and holds them in the fortress.

Synonyms

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Examples

Idioms

Last updated: 2026/01/03 19:31