fanatic English · revision 2246

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fəˈnæt.ɪk/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|fānāticus|t=inspired by a god, frenzied; of a temple]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) from ''fānum'' “temple”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) related to ''fēstus'' “festive” and so to English ''feast''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A mad person (about 1525),^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and as an adjective, frenzied or furious as if possessed by a god or demon (1533).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Latin word described people inspired by orgiastic temple rites.^(AHD)^(RHWU) From madness, the sense shifted in the 1640s to excessive and mistaken enthusiasm, especially in religion;^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) in the later 17th century it was a hostile name for Nonconformists.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) From 1790 it meant a devotee of anything,^(OED 1989) which gave rise to the shortened ''fan''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c1525 – noun, a mad person.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1533 – adjective, frantic, furious.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1550 – ''fanatical''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1644 – noun, an unreasoning enthusiast.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1647 – adjective, excessively zealous.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1652 – ''fanaticism''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1790 – a fanatical devotee of something.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person with an extreme, unreasoning enthusiasm, as for a religious or political cause.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Fanatical; marked by excessive enthusiasm and uncritical devotion.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fanatically]]

+ * [[fan]]

+ * [[fanaticism]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[feast]]

+ * [[profane]]

+ * [[zealot]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary compares ''fanatic'', ''zealot'' and ''enthusiast''.^(AHD) A ''fanatic'' pursues an interest to irrational lengths, often excluding all others;^(AHD) a ''zealot'' advances a cause with passionate fervour;^(AHD) an ''enthusiast'' usually just has a strong interest in something, without the unfavourable connotations of the other two.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}