- fascinate
- 1598, "bewitch, enchant," from M.Fr. fasciner, from L. fascinatus, pp. of fascinare "bewitch, enchant," from fascinus "spell, witchcraft," of uncertain origin. Possibly from Gk. baskanos "bewitcher, sorcerer," with form influenced by L. fari "speak" (see fame). The Gk. word may be from a Thracian equivalent of Gk. phaskein "to say;" cf. also enchant, and Ger. besprechen "to charm," from sprechen "to speak." Earliest used of witches and of serpents, who were said to be able to cast a spell by a look that rendered one unable to move or resist. Sense of "delight, attract" is first recorded 1815.
- bewitch
- c.1200, biwicchen, from be- + O.E. wiccian "to enchant, to practice witchcraft" (see witch). Literal at first, figurative sense of "to fascinate" is from 1520s. *Bewiccian may well have existed in O.E., but it is not attested. Bewitched is from late 14c. in the literal sense; figurative use from 1570s. Pp. adj. bewitching is from 1530s.