ZEALOT

partisan, zealot, drumbeater

(noun) a fervent and even militant proponent of something

Zealot

(noun) a member of an ancient Jewish sect in Judea in the first century who fought to the death against the Romans and who killed or persecuted Jews who collaborated with the Romans

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

zealot (plural zealots)

One who is zealous, one who is full of zeal for his own specific beliefs or objectives, usually in the negative sense of being too passionate; a fanatic

(historical) A member of a radical, warlike, ardently patriotic group of Jews in Judea, particularly prominent in the first century, who advocated the violent overthrow of Roman rule and vigorously resisted the efforts of the Romans and their supporters to convert the Jews.

(historical) A member of an anti-aristocratic political group in Thessalonica from 1342 until 1350.

Synonyms

• enthusiast

• fanatic

Anagrams

• Laotze

Noun

Zealot (plural Zealots)

(history) Alternative letter-case form of zealot

Source: Wiktionary


Zeal"ot, n. Etym: [F. zélote, L. zelotes, Gr. Zeal.]

Definition: One who is zealous; one who engages warmly in any cause, and pursues his object with earnestness and ardor; especially, one who is overzealous, or carried away by his zeal; one absorbed in devotion to anything; an enthusiast; a fanatical partisan. Zealots for the one [tradition] were in hostile array against zealots for the other. Sir J. Stephen. In Ayrshire, Clydesdale, Nithisdale, Annandale, every parish was visited by these turbulent zealots. Macaulay.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

22 February 2025

ANALYSIS

(noun) the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., ‘the father of the bride’ instead of ‘the bride’s father’


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

The New York Stock Exchange started out as a coffee house.

coffee icon