ENGLISH
REFERENCE

zealous

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈzɛɫəs// UK //zˈɛləs// zeal·ous

adj. very eager and enthusiastic about something. You use this to describe someone who works hard and cares deeply about their job or beliefs.

adj. characterised by intense enthusiasm, eagerness, or devotion. Often used to describe a person's attitude toward a cause, a profession, or a set of beliefs.


SIMPLE

She is a zealous supporter of the local football team.

CONTEXTUAL

The zealous lawyer worked through the night to prepare for the morning's hearing.

COMPLEX

A zealous commitment to the project eventually led to burnout, as the team neglected their personal well-being in pursuit of an impossible deadline.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English zelose, from Latin zēlōsus, from zēlus + -ōsus, from Ancient Greek ζῆλος (zêlos, “zeal, jealousy”), from ζηλόω (zēlóō, “to emulate, to be jealous”). By surface analysis, zeal + -ous. Doublet of jealous.

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