enchantment

/ɛnˈtʃæntmɪnt/

/ɛnˈtʃæntmənt/

Other forms: enchantments

Exams over? School out for the summer? You may be feeling a sense of enchantment, that is, a sense of delight and escape from everyday reality.

The psychological state of enchantment is so strong it can feel like you are under a spell or a trance, and these words are often interchangeable with enchantment. A work of art that is particularly captivating and enjoyable can also be termed an enchantment. The Winnie the Pooh books are often called "enchantments," and their sense of child-like innocence and simplicity is typical of the sensation of enchantment.

Definitions of enchantment

1. noun

   a magical spell
   synonyms: bewitchment, enscorcellment, ensorcelment

   type of:

   black art, black magic, necromancy, sorcery

   the belief in magical spells that harness occult forces or evil spirits to produce unnatural effects in the world
2. noun

   a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation
   synonyms: spell, trance

   types:

   possession

   being controlled by passion or the supernatural

   captivation, fascination

   the state of being intensely interested (as by awe or terror)

   type of:

   mental condition, mental state, psychological condition, psychological state

   (psychology) a mental condition in which the qualities of a state are relatively constant even though the state itself may be dynamic
3. noun

   a feeling of great liking for something wonderful and unusual
   synonyms: captivation, enthrallment, fascination

   type of:

   liking

   a feeling of pleasure and enjoyment