fanatic
fanatic Lexical Profile
fanatic Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for an extreme religious or political cause.
"History shows how easily a charismatic leader can manipulate a political fanatic into ignoring objective evidence."
A person with an obsessive interest in and enthusiasm for a particular activity, hobby, or pastime.
"As a lifelong jazz fanatic, he has collected thousands of rare vinyl records from the 1950s."
• adjective
Characterized by or motivated by excessive, uncritical, and single-minded zeal.
"The coach demanded fanatic devotion to the training regimen from every player on the roster."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a noun, 'fanatic' carries a sharply negative connotation in religious or political contexts, but is frequently used playfully in everyday contexts (such as 'a fitness fanatic'); as an adjective, 'fanatical' is much more common than 'fanatic' in contemporary English.
• Rhymes for fanatic
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 16th century from Latin 'fanaticus', meaning 'inspired by a deity' or 'frenzied', derived from 'fanum' ('temple' or 'shrine'). The common English word 'fan' originated in the late 19th century as a shortened form of 'fanatic'.