Ardent

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈɑːdənt/

Definitions

1. Displaying intense enthusiasm or passion towards someone or something
2. Expressing deep, fervent feelings that reflect great eagerness or devotion
3. Characterized by lively, heartfelt excitement or strong emotional commitment

Etymology: The most striking thing about "ardent" is that its Latin ancestor is the verb for burning itself. The Latin "ardeō" meant "to burn," and its present participle "ardēns" (burning) gave English a word that still carries that heat, just pointed at feelings rather than fires. Passionate devotion was, in effect, described as a blaze. The route into English ran through Old French. The word appeared in Middle English around the 14th century in the form "ardaunt," borrowed from the Anglo-Norman "ardent" and the Old French "ardant," both descending from the Latin participle. Early uses were often literal, describing things that were hot or fiery, and the figurative sense of intense emotion grew from that physical meaning.

Synonyms: passionate, fervent, zealous, enthusiastic, intense

Antonyms: apathetic, indifferent, dispassionate, unenthusiastic, uninterested