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zealot

 - 2 dictionary results

zeal⋅ot

  [zel-uht]
Use zealot in a Sentence
–noun
1. a person who shows zeal.
2. an excessively zealous person; fanatic.
3. (initial capital letter) a member of a radical, warlike, ardently patriotic group of Jews in Judea, particularly prominent from a.d. 69 to 81, advocating the violent overthrow of Roman rule and vigorously resisting the efforts of the Romans and their supporters to heathenize the Jews.
Origin:
1530–40; earlier zelote < LL zēlōtēs < Gk zēltēs, equiv. to zēlō- (var. s. of zēloûn to be zealous; see zeal ) + -tēs agent suffix

Synonyms:
2. extremist, crank, bigot. See fanatic.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To zealot
zeal·ot   (zěl'ət)   
n.  

    1. One who is zealous, especially excessively so.

    2. A fanatically committed person.

  2. Zealot A member of a Jewish movement of the first century A.D. that fought against Roman rule in Palestine as incompatible with strict monotheism.


[Middle English zelote, from Latin zēlōtēs, from Greek, from zēlos, zeal.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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