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mesmerize

MEZ-muh-rize · verb

English

Origin

Mesmerize is a back-formation from mesmerism, formed by adding -ize to it. It's first attested in 1829.

Journey

The facts don't give a documented shift in meaning — only that the verb was carved out of the noun mesmerism shortly after that noun existed.

Related words

Its closest relative is mesmerism itself, the noun it was stripped down from.

More words

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