English → Latin
“amuse” in Latin
oblectōto entertain, delight, amuse; to pass (the time) agreeably; to delay, detaindēlectōto delight, charm, please (+ accusative the person, who is delighted)liberbook; the inner bark of a treelūdōto play (a game or sport); to frolic, behave playfully; to practice, amuse oneself with
The English word amuse itself goes back to Latin mūsa, through *mūsa.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
amuse
oblectare (to supply a pleasant occupation; to amuse, whether by things or words): delectare (to delight). To amuse one’s self with anything, se delectare aliqua re: delectari aliqua re (e.g., libris): se oblectare aliqua re (e.g., ludis). The play amuses the people (fabula oblectat populum). To be amused, oblectari aliqua re: oblectari et duci aliqua re: delectatione alicujus rei duci: voluptatem ex aliqua re capere, percipere, habere.
Draw a man on (with hopes, promises, etc.), extrahere aliquem (Vid :, Liv., 23, and31): aliquem variis frustrationibus differre, or variis dilationibus frustrare; aliquem per frustrationem differre: aliquem eludere atque extrahere: lactare aliquem et spe falsa producere (Ter.).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for amuse?
- The usual Latin words for “amuse” are oblectō, dēlectō, liber; also lūdō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.