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Added 1 October 2026

fervent

/ˈfɜːv(ə)nt/ adjective

Latin root: ferventem Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about fervent at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Very hot; burning, scorching; also, glowing with heat.
Of cold: intense, severe. Of a drug: having an abundance of heat as one of the four qualities believed to be characteristic of all things; hot rather than cold, dry, or moist.
Of cold: intense, severe.

Origin

From Middle English fervent, from Old French fervent (modern French fervent), from Latin ferventem, the accusative masculine or feminine singular form of fervēns (“burning, fiery; hot; zealous; etc.”), the present active participle of ferveō (“to burn; to be hot; (figurative) to be agitated, fired up, or inflamed; etc.”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- (“to boil; to brew”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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