ravissement

delight

noun rah-vees-MAHN Rare

Also means

rapture

Usage Note

Ravissement describes an intense, almost overwhelming feeling of joy or enchantment. The verb ravir means both 'to delight' and, in a more archaic sense, 'to carry off by force' — giving the noun a dual literary history. In modern usage, only the sense of delight survives in everyday French; en ravissement means 'in rapture'.

Examples

"Elle regardait le tableau avec ravissement."

Natural Translation

She gazed at the painting with delight.

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