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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. A person marked or motivated by an extreme, unreasoning enthusiasm, as for a cause.
  2. adj. Fanatical.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. Same as fanatical.
  2. n. A person affected by zeal or enthusiasm, particularly on religious subjects; one given to wild and extravagant notions of religion.

Wiktionary

  1. adj. Fanatical.
  2. adj. Showing evidence of possession by a god or demon; frenzied, over-zealous.
  3. n. A person who is zealously enthusiastic for some cause, especially in religion.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. adj. Pertaining to, or indicating, fanaticism; extravagant in opinions; ultra; unreasonable; excessively enthusiastic, especially on religious subjects
  2. n. A person affected by excessive enthusiasm, particularly on religious subjects; one who indulges wild and extravagant notions of religion.

WordNet 3.0

  1. adj. marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea
  2. n. a person motivated by irrational enthusiasm (as for a cause)

Etymologies

  1. Latin fānāticus, inspired by orgiastic rites, pertaining to a temple, from fānum, temple; see dhēs- in Indo-European roots.

Examples

  • “Giving a whole new meaning to the term fanatic, this deranged devotee and No 1 fan of a romance-novel writer (James Caan), holds him against his will, forces a rewrite of the protagonist's fate and then sledgehammers his legs so he can't escape from her.”

    TODAYonline

  • “Sorry, but a fanatic is a fanatic, regardless of what sheepskin she wears.”

    Think Progress » The Right, Religion and The Supreme Court: What a Difference a Month Makes

  • “The pope says many parts of the world are now facing threats to peace, including terrorism and what he calls fanatic fundamentalist.”

    CNN Transcript Jan 1, 2006

  • “In my experience, the essential pop fanatic is a polygamist.”

    fourfour:

  • “My mother's family has been American since 1639, my great + grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War, and no fanatic is telling me to leave my country because I don't listen to Fox News.”

    Axelrod slams Romney

  • “I am an oatmeal raisin fanatic - so can I sub raisins for the choc chips and throw in some pecans??”

    Mom's oatmeal cookies | Homesick Texan

  • “I'm always worried some Red Sox fanatic is going to give Frank a little "Fenway massage" with a bat or something.”

    Funny Video! Frank Cheats Death at Fenway

  • “You resemble nothing so much as a Palin fanatic circa Pearl Harbor Day 2008.”

    Matthew Yglesias » The Right’s Growth Record

  • “I read "Napalm and Silly Putty" ― a must read for any Carlin fanatic ― this past week, after finding it in a library book sale this winter.”

    I Miss George Carlin

  • “There's no way to please all the fans with all the interpretations, but this fanatic is quite pleased so far.”

    Brown Thing

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‘fanatic’ has been looked up 1773 times, loved by 4 people, added to 13 lists, and has a Scrabble score of 12.