ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rapture

n. uncountable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈɹæptʃɝ// UK //ɹˈæptʃɐ// rap·ture Archaic

n. a feeling of extreme happiness, pleasure, or excitement. You use this to describe being completely carried away by a wonderful emotion.

n. a state of intense pleasure, joy, or enthusiasm. Often used in literary or religious contexts to describe being overwhelmed by a positive experience.


SIMPLE

The audience listened to the music in total rapture.

CONTEXTUAL

She gazed at the sunset in rapture, completely forgetting the long hike that had brought her there.

COMPLEX

The poet describes the rapture of the soul when it finally achieves a moment of perfect clarity and connection with the natural world.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from Middle French rapture, from Latin raptūra, future active participle of rapiō (“snatch, carry off”).

Usage

Often follows the preposition 'in' to describe a person's emotional state.

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