zealous

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
16
Words With Friends
18
Letters
7
Pronunciation
/ˈzɛləs/ (UK)
See all 2 pronunciations
/ˈzɛləs/ (UK) · /ˈziːləs/ (UK)

Definition of zealous

1 sense · 1 part of speech · etymology included

adj

  1. Full of zeal; ardent, fervent; exhibiting enthusiasm or strong passion, particularly in matters of religion.
    “They neuer paſſe for the procuring of Gods honor, neither regard they how much they be bound vnto him. But euery man in the meane ſeaſon followes his owne likings. One burnes in couetouſneſſe, and another in vaine glorie, ſeeking to be aduaunced to authoritie and honour, and to bee taken to be I wote not what. Thus ye ſee at what point they bee, which will needes be taken to bee greateſt and zealouſeſt Chriſtians.”
    “I had almoſt forgotten to acquaint your honor, that one major Alford (who was in mr. Love's conſpiracy) was of the graund inqueſt at Saliſbury, and was very zealous in his highneſſe ſervice here, and his good affection and wiſe carriage here, did much advantage the buſſineſe.”
    “[S]orting them into ſeveral congregations of a moderat number, out of the ableſt and zealouſeſt among them to create elders, who, exerciſing and requiring from themſelves what they have learnd (for no learning is retaind without conſtant exerciſe and methodical repetition) may reach and govern the reſt: […]”
    “Johnſon was truly zealous for the ſucceſs of "The Adventurer;" and very ſoon after his engaging in it, he wrote the following letter […]”
    “Doubtless many will exclaim against the Roman Catholic Church for this; but the simple truth is that Protestantism was no less zealous against the new scientific doctrine.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From Middle English zelose, from Latin zēlōsus, from zēlus + -ōsus, from Ancient Greek ζῆλος (zêlos, “zeal, jealousy”), from ζηλόω (zēlóō, “to emulate, to be jealous”). By surface analysis, zeal + -ous. Doublet of jealous.

Anagrams of zealous

1 play · some not in Scrabble

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