Interest Definition

ĭntrĭst, -tər-ĭst, -trĕst

interested, interests

noun

interests

Something, such as a quality, subject, or activity, that evokes this mental state.

Counts the theater among his interests.

American Heritage

A right or claim to something.

Webster's New World

Something, as a business, in which one participates or has a share.

Webster's New World

A right, claim, or legal share.

An interest in the new company.

American Heritage

Advantage; welfare; benefit.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

verb

interested, interests

To excite the attention or curiosity of.

Webster's New World

To involve the interest, or concern, of; have an effect upon.

Webster's New World

To cause to have an interest or take part in.

Can I interest you in a drink before dinner?

Webster's New World

To engage the attention of; to awaken interest in; to excite emotion or passion in, in behalf of a person or thing.

It might interest you to learn that others have already tried that approach.

Action films don't really interest me.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

idiom

in the interest

To the advantage of; for the sake of:
thinking in the interest of the whole family; ate breakfast on the train in the interest of time.

American Heritage

in the interest of

for the sake of

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Interest

Noun

Singular:

interest

Plural:

interests

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Interest

in the interest
in the interest of

Origin of Interest

Middle English from Old French from Latin it is of importance third person sing. present tense of interesse to be between, take part in inter- inter- esse to be es- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Old French interesse and interest (French: intérêt), from Medieval Latin interesse, from Latin interesse.

From Wiktionary