FANATIC Definition & Meaning

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fanatic

[fuh-nat-ik]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal, as in religion or politics.
Synonyms: , , , ,

adjective

fanatical.

fanatic

/ ��əˈ��æ��ɪ�� /

noun

a person whose enthusiasm or zeal for something is extreme or beyond normal limits
informal��a person devoted to a particular hobby or pastime; fan
a jazz fanatic

adjective

a variant of fanatical

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

nonfanatic noun

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of fanatic¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin ��پ��ܲ� “pertaining to a temple, inspired by a divinity, frantic,” equivalent to ��Գܳ� “temple” + -��پ��ܲ�, equivalent to -��(�ܲ�) -ate ¹ + -icus -ic

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of fanatic¹

C16: from Latin ��پ��ܲ� belonging to a temple, hence, inspired by a god, frenzied, from ��Գܳ� temple

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Synonym Study

Fanatic, zealot, militant, devotee refer to persons showing more than ordinary support for, adherence to, or interest in a cause, point of view, or activity. Fanatic and zealot both suggest excessive or overweening devotion to a cause or belief. Fanatic further implies unbalanced or obsessive behavior: a wild-eyed fanatic. Zealot, only slightly less unfavorable in implication than fanatic, implies single-minded partisanship: a tireless zealot for tax reform. Militant stresses vigorous, aggressive support for or opposition to a plan or ideal and suggests a combative stance. Devotee is a milder term than any of the foregoing, suggesting enthusiasm but not to the exclusion of other interests or possible points of view: a jazz devotee.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"If he's not playing it, he's wearing it or talking about it.. he's quite the fanatic."

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In 2013, Forsyth published The Kill List, a fast-moving tale built round a Muslim fanatic called The Preacher, whose online videos encouraged young Muslims to carry out a series of killings.

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Becoming the BBC's Mastermind champion is something even the most ardent quiz fanatic can only dream of.

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Had social media been as prevalent when the "Scary Island" trip first aired, there wouldn’t be one Housewife on the trip who could’ve escaped the lethal criticisms of Bravo fanatics.

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What self-respecting, MAGA-hat-wearing Trump fanatic wouldn’t pay good money to watch live performances by antler-wearing, U.S. flag-waving, pardoned revolutionaries at the rebranded January 6 Coliseum: Where Medieval Times Meets Modern Politics?

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Related 51�Թ�s

addict��
bigot��
devotee��
enthusiast��
extremist��
fiend��
freak��
maniac��
militant��
nut��
radical��
visionary��
zealot��

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When To Use

What does��fanatic mean?

A fanatic is a person with an extreme and often unquestioning enthusiasm, devotion, or zeal for something, such as a religion, political stance, or cause.This sense of the word is typically used negatively to imply that someone takes such devotion too far, as in They’re considered religious fanatics due to their extreme practices. Close synonyms are extremist, radical, and zealot.Other times, fanatic is not used negatively but instead simply refers to someone who is extreme in their devotion or enthusiasm for an interest or hobby. For example, calling someone a sports fanatic means they’re an extremely enthusiastic fan of sports. In fact, the word fan is a shortening of fanatic.Less commonly, fanatic can be used as an adjective meaning the same thing as fanatical—having and motivated by extreme enthusiasm or devotion.Example: We dismiss them as fanatics, but their beliefs may be more widespread than we think.

Fanakalo fanatical

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