fanatic

WOTD - 3 February 2008    

Fanatic sports fans

English

Alternative forms

• fanatick (obsolete)

Etymology

First attested in 1525. From Latin fānāticus (“of a temple, divinely inspired, frenzied”), from fānum (“temple”). Influenced by French fanatique.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /fəˈnæt.ɪk/, SAMPA: /f@"n{t.Ik/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ætɪk

Adjective

fanatic (comparative more fanatic, superlative most fanatic)

1. Fanatical.
2. (obsolete) Showing evidence of possession by a god or demon; frenzied, over-zealous.

Translations

fanatical

Finnish: kiihkomielinen (fi), fanaattinen (fi), kiihkeä (fi) German: fanatisch (de) Greek: φανατικός (el) (fanatikós) m. Hungarian: fanatikus (hu)

Italian: fanatico (it), maniaco (it), patito (it), seguace (it) Polish: fanatyczny m. Russian: фанатичный (ru) (fanatíčnyj) Slovak: fanatický (sk)

showing evidence of possession by a god or demon

Polish: nawiedzony m., opętany m.

Noun

fanatic (plural fanatics)

1. A person who is zealously enthusiastic for some cause, especially in religion.

Translations

one who is zealously enthusiastic

Czech: fanatik (cs) m. Finnish: kiihkoilija (fi), fanaatikko (fi) French: fanatique (fr) m. German: Fanatiker (de) m., Fanatikerin (de) f. Hungarian: fanatikus (hu) Italian: fanatico (it), patito (it), maniaco (it), seguace (it) Norwegian: Bokmål: fanatiker (nb) m. Nynorsk: fanatikar (nn) m.

Polish: fanatyk m., fanatyczka f. Portuguese: fanático (pt) m., fanática (pt) f. Russian: фанатик (ru) (fanátik) m. Slovak: fanatik (sk) m.

See also

• fan
• crank

Quotations

• A zealot can't change his mind. A fanatic can't change his mind and won't change the subject. —Winston Churchill (attributed)
• A fanatic is one who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim. —George Santayana