Word of the Day

: October 16, 2007

fervid

adjective FER-vid

What It Means

1 : very hot : burning

2 : marked by often extreme intensity of feeling

fervid in Context

Jennie was such a fervid supporter of the proposed law that she drove all the way to Washington to demonstrate in favor of its passage.

Did You Know?

The Latin verb "fervēre" can mean "to boil" or "to glow," as well as, by extension, "to seethe" or "to be roused." In English, this root gives us three words that can mean "impassioned" by varying degrees: "fervid," "fervent," and "perfervid." "Fervid" and "fervent" are practically synonymous, but while "fervid" usually suggests warm emotion that is expressed in a spontaneous or feverish manner (as in "fervid basketball fans"), "fervent" is reserved for a kind of emotional warmth that is steady and sincere (as in "a fervent belief in human kindness"). "Perfervid" combines "fervid" with the Latin prefix "per-" ("thoroughly") to create a word meaning "marked by overwrought or exaggerated emotion," as in "a perfervid display of patriotism."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.