Flora LewisJanet K. Keeler
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The Fanatical Origin of Fan
There are a good number of etymological myths in the English language, stories about the origins of words (such as the widespread notion that posh originated as an acronym for “port out, starboard home”) which are, to put it kindly, inaccurate. But this does not mean that every vivid account of linguistic origin is fictitious. Many words, such as fan, do have colorful backstories.
Fan is generally–and very likely correctly–believed to be a shortened form of fanatic. The origin of fanatic (which can be traced back to the Latin word fanum, meaning “sanctuary, temple”) is less often commented on. In English, fan made an early appearance in the late 17th century only to disappear for two centuries, resurfacing in the late 19th century. In this later period of use, it often referred to the devoted observers of, or participants in, a sport. An 1885 article from The Kansas City Times, for example, contains the line “The base ball ‘fans’ of the ploice [sic] force and fire department engage in a ball game.”
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The Latin adjective fanaticus, a derivative of the noun fanum, meaning “temple,” originally meant “of or relating to a temple.” It was later used to refer to pious individuals who were thought to have been inspired by a god or goddess. In time, the sense “frantic, frenzied, mad” arose because it was thought that persons behaving in such a manner were possessed by a deity. This was the first meaning of the English word fanatic. This sense is now obsolete, but it led to the meaning “excessively enthusiastic, especially about religious matters.” The word later became less specific, meaning simply “excessively enthusiastic or unreasonable.” The noun fan, meaning “enthusiast,” is probably a shortening of fanatic.
Synonyms
Examples of fanatic in a Sentence
Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2024
Uncommon Goods Baseball Every Day Interactive Mug $28 at Uncommon Goods
Baseball fanatics can boost their knowledge of their favorite sport with this interactive mug.
—Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Nov. 2024
Gabriella Rudy, NBC News, 21 Nov. 2024
Halloween fanatic Janelle Monáe, who plans out costumes at least two years in advance, unveiled another jaw-dropping transformation as E.T. from Steven Spielberg’s 1982 film.
—Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near fanatic
Cite this Entry
“Fanatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fanatic. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
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