zealot

noun

zeal·​ot ˈze-lət 

1

: a zealous person

especially : a fanatical partisan

a religious zealot

2

capitalized : a member of a fanatical sect arising in Judea during the first century a.d. and militantly opposing the Roman domination of Palestine

Did you know?

In the 1st century A.D., a fanatical sect arose in Judaea to oppose the Roman domination of Palestine. Known as the Zealots, they fought their most famous battle at the great fortress of Masada, where 1,000 defenders took their own lives just as the Romans were about to storm the fort. Over the years, zealot came to mean anyone who is passionately devoted to a cause. The adjective zealous may describe someone who's merely dedicated and energetic ("a zealous investigator", "zealous about combating inflation", etc.). But zealot (like its synonym fanatic) and zealotry (like its synonym fanaticism) are used disapprovingly—even while Jews everywhere still honor the memory of those who died at Masada.

Synonyms

• crusader
• fanatic
• ideologue
• idealogue
• militant
• partisan
• partizan
• red hot
• true believer

Examples of zealot in a Sentence

zealots on both sides of the issue resorted to name-calling and scare tactics

Recent Examples on the Web

But today, a President Harris would have supine leftist zealots, such as Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), eager to do the bidding of their dear White House leader. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024

But sometimes conscience demands that even we zealots of the future take stock. —Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 29 Oct. 2024

And in both the present and past story lines, different Afghan factions have different agendas, different ideologies, and different lifestyles; they’re not immediately labeled as terrorists or written off as zealots. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024

The Iraq war was not foisted on the country by ideological cliques or conflict-craving zealots. —Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin zelotes, from Greek zēlōtēs, from zēlos

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

zealot

noun

zeal·​ot ˈzel-ət 

: a zealous person

especially : an overly zealous supporter