First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
ardent
adjective ar·dent \ˈär-dənt\
: having or showing very strong feelings
Full Definition of ARDENT
1
: characterized by warmth of feeling typically expressed in eager zealous support or activity <ardent proponents of the bill>
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Examples of ARDENT
- These ardent young nationalists, mostly still in their 20s and impatient for freedom, had acquired arms from sympathetic nationalist officers in the Indian army … —Gita Mehta, Vogue, April 1997
- In fact, Gorbachev told me, a schoolboy essay he'd written on the virtues of Stalin was considered so ardent and exemplary that “for years thereafter other children were made to read it.” —David Remnick, New Yorker, 18 Nov. 1996
- During the fourth century, pagan piety in the upper classes became more elevated, more ardent, and more mystical. —Norman F. Cantor, The Civilization of the Middle Ages, 1993
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Origin of ARDENT
Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin ardent-, ardens, present participle of ardēre to burn, from ardor
Related to ARDENT
- Synonyms
- fervent, blazing, burning, charged, demonstrative, emotional, fervid, feverish, fiery, flaming, glowing, hot-blooded, impassioned, incandescent, intense, passional, passionate, perfervid, red-hot, religious, superheated, torrid, vehement, warm, warm-blooded
- Antonyms
- cold, cool, dispassionate, emotionless, impassive, unemotional
Synonym Discussion of ARDENT
impassioned, passionate, ardent, fervent, fervid, perfervid mean showing intense feeling. impassioned implies warmth and intensity without violence and suggests fluent verbal expression <an impassioned plea for justice>. passionate implies great vehemence and often violence and wasteful diffusion of emotion <a passionate denunciation>. ardent implies an intense degree of zeal, devotion, or enthusiasm <an ardent supporter of human rights>. fervent stresses sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth or zeal <fervent good wishes>. fervid suggests warmly and spontaneously and often feverishly expressed emotion <fervid love letters>. perfervid implies the expression of exaggerated or overwrought feelings <perfervid expressions of patriotism>.
Rhymes with ARDENT
ARDENT Defined for Kids
ardent
adjective ar·dent \ˈär-dənt\
Definition of ARDENT for Kids
: showing or having warmth of feeling : passionate <She's an ardent supporter of education.>
— ar·dent·ly adverb
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