Plural of fascination; the state of being extremely interested in something, or things that capture and hold attention.
From Old French fascination, from Latin fascinatio (bewitchment), from fascinare. The meaning shifted from literal bewitchment to psychological captivation during the medieval period.
What psychologists call 'flow state' or 'hyperfocus' might be what ancient people called being 'fascinated' or 'bewitched'—our brains genuinely do narrow focus so completely on interesting things that it feels magical.
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