Etymologically
Log in

passionate

Etymology and origin of the English word passionate

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1450
Borrowed from
Latin passionatus
Ultimate origin
Medieval Latin (passionatus)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈpæʃ.ən.ət/[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Medieval Latin passionatus (“affected with passion”),[2][3][4] from Latin passio (genitive passionis), suffering, enduring (see passion).[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Easily moved to anger, quick-tempered: about 1450 in the OED, the early 15th century in Etymonline.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

NODE notes that early senses included easily moved to passion and enraged.[4] Dominated by vehement emotion is from 1526,[5] and of language, marked by strong feeling, from 1581.[5] Subject to passion, easily moved, is from 1589.[5] The specific sense amorous is attested from the 1580s.[2] Middle English also had passional, pertaining to the feelings.[2] In Dorset dialect passionate was an aphetic form of compassionate.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 1450 – quick-tempered.[5]
  • 1526 – full of vehement emotion.[5]
  • 1580s – amorous.[2]
  • 1589 – easily moved.[5]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Showing or feeling very strong emotion; ardent: a passionate plea.
  2. Having intense sexual desire.
  3. Easily angered; quick-tempered.

Word family

  • passionately
  • passionateness
  • nonpassionate
  • overpassionate
  • unpassionate

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Passionate.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/passionate. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·