fanatic

fanatic
[fə'natɪk]
noun a person filled with excessive zeal, especially for an extreme religious or political cause.
informal a person with an obsessive enthusiasm for a pastime or hobby.
adjective filled with or expressing excessive zeal.
Derivatives
fanaticism noun
fanaticize or fanaticise verb
Word History
The word fanatic derives from Latin fanaticus, meaning 'of a temple' or 'inspired by a god', from fanum 'temple'. It was first used in the 16th century, as an adjective describing behaviour or speech that might result from possession by a god or demon; hence the earliest sense of the noun 'a religious maniac'. Another English word deriving ultimately from fanum is profane, which comes from Latin profanus, meaning 'outside the temple'.

English new terms dictionary. 2014.

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  • fanatic — FANÁTIC, Ă, fanatici, ce, adj., s.m. şi f. 1. adj., s.m. şi f. (Om) dominat de fanatism. 2. adj. (Despre manifestările oamenilor) Care exprimă, trădează fanatism. – Din fr. fanatique, lat. fanaticus …   Dicționar Român

  • Fanatic — Fa*nat ic, a. [L. fanaticus inspired by divinity, enthusiastic, frantic, fr. fanum fane: cf. F. fanatique. See {Fane}.] Pertaining to, or indicating, fanaticism; extravagant in opinions; ultra; unreasonable; excessively enthusiastic, especially… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fanatic — (n.) 1520s, insane person, from L. fanaticus mad, enthusiastic, inspired by a god, also furious, mad, originally, pertaining to a temple, from fanum temple, related to festus festive (see FEAST (Cf. feast)). Meaning zealous person is mid 17c. As… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Fanatic — Fa*nat ic, n. A person affected by excessive enthusiasm, particularly on religious subjects; one who indulges wild and extravagant notions of religion. [1913 Webster] There is a new word, coined within few months, called fanatics, which, by the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fanatic — index addict, addicted, bigot, demagogue, dictatorial, drastic, eager, fanatical, malcontent …   Law dictionary

  • fanatic — n bigot, enthusiast, zealot …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • fanatic — [n] person overenthusiastic about an interest activist, addict, bigot, bug*, crank*, crazy, demon, devotee, enthusiast, extremist, fiend*, fool, freak, maniac, militant, monomaniac, nut*, radical, ultraist, visionary, zealot; concepts 352,359,366 …   New thesaurus

  • fanatic — ► NOUN 1) a person filled with excessive zeal, especially for an extreme political or religious cause. 2) informal a person with an obsessive enthusiasm for a pastime or hobby. ► ADJECTIVE ▪ filled with or expressing excessive zeal. DERIVATIVES… …   English terms dictionary

  • fanatic — [fə nat′ik] adj. [< L fanaticus, of a temple, hence enthusiastic, inspired < fanum, a temple: see FANE] FANATICAL n. a person whose extreme zeal, piety, etc. goes beyond what is reasonable; zealot SYN. ZEALOT …   English World dictionary

  • fanatic — n. 1) a religious fanatic 2) a fanatic to + inf. (he had to be a fanatic to do that) * * * [fə nætɪk] a religious fanatic a fanatic to + inf. (he had to be a fanatic to do that) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • fanatic — /feuh nat ik/, n. 1. a person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal, as in religion or politics. adj. 2. fanatical. [1515 25; < L fanaticus pertaining to a temple, inspired by orgiastic rites, frantic, equiv. to fan(um) temple +… …   Universalium

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