Etymologically
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zelotes

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [zeːˈɫoː.teːs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [d͡zeˈlɔː.tes][1]

Forms

zēlōtēs m (genitive zēlōtae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ζηλωτής (zēlōtḗs, “zealous follower, emulator”),[2][3][4][5] from ζηλόω (zēlóō, “to be zealous, emulate”), from ζῆλος (zêlos, “zeal, jealousy”).[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Tertullian, in his work against Marcion, uses it of God as one who loves jealously.[2][3][6][4]

Semantic evolution

The word belongs to Ecclesiastical Latin.[2] The Vulgate uses it in Exodus, where God calls himself a jealous God,[2][3][7] and in Luke as the surname of the apostle Simon, the Zealot.[7][8] In Medieval Latin it was still used of one who loves jealously, for example of a jealous knight.[9]

English zealot comes from it, first in the early 14th century for a member of the Jewish sect that resisted the Romans.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 160–220 – Tertullian uses it of God.[2][4]
  • 390–406 – The Vulgate uses it in Exodus and of the apostle Simon.[2][7][4]
  • early 14th century – English borrows it as zelote.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Ecclesiastical Latin) One who loves with jealousy, a jealous person; said of God.[2][3][9]
  2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A zealot;[7][8] Zelotes, the surname of the apostle Simon.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b c d e Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  8. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  9. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press