zealous

• zelous

From Middle English zelose, from Latin zēlōsus,^[1] 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.

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈzɛləs/, (obsolete) /ˈziːləs/^[2]

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• Rhymes: -ɛləs
• Hyphenation: zeal‧ous

zealous (comparative more zealous or (uncommon) zealouser, superlative most zealous or (uncommon) zealousest)

1. Full of zeal; ardent, fervent; exhibiting enthusiasm or strong passion.
   • 1583, Iohn Calvin, translated by Arthur Golding, “On Wednesday the xxj. of August. 1555. The Threescore Sermon, Which Is the Third vpon the Eight Chapter.”, in The Sermons of M. Iohn Calvin vpon the Fifth Booke of Moses Called Deuteronomie: […], London: […] Henry Middleton for Thomas Woodcocke, →OCLC, page 362, columns 1–2:

     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.

   • 1655 April 21, “Mr. Ja. Nutley to ſecreary Thurloe.”, in A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, Eſq; […], volume III, London: […] the Executor of the late Mr. Fletcher Gyles; Thomas Woodward, […] Charles Davis, […], published 1742, page 399:

     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.

   • 1659, J[ohn] M[ilton], Considerations Touching the Likeliest Means to Remove Hirelings out of the Church. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcombe] for L[ivewell] Chapman […], →OCLC, page 90:

     [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: […]

   • 1791, James Boswell, “[1753]”, in James Boswell, editor, The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. […], volume I, London: […] Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, […], →OCLC, page 136:

     Johnſon was truly zealous for the ſucceſs of "The Adventurer;" and very ſoon after his engaging in it, he wrote the following letter […]

   • 1896, Andrew Dickson White, A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom, published 2004, page 122:

     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.

   • 2011 April 4, “Newt Gingrich”, in Time‎^[2], New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 20 July 2014:

     Newt Gingrich […] left Congress in 1998, following GOP midterm-election losses that many blamed on his zealous pursuit of Bill Clinton's impeachment.

   • 2025 May 15, “Europe’s free-speech problem”, in The Economist‎^[3]:

     Britain’s police are especially zealous. Officers spend thousands of hours sifting through potentially offensive posts and arrest 30 people a day. Among those collared were a man who ranted about immigration on Facebook and a couple who criticised their daughter’s primary school.

• (full of zeal): ardent, eager, enthusiastic, fervent, passionate, zealotic

• (antonym(s) of “full of zeal”): apathetic, dispassionate, indifferent, unenthusiastic