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definitions

ardent

[ahr-dnt]
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ardent ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

having, expressive of, or characterized by intense feeling; passionate; fervent: an ardent vow; ardent love.
intensely devoted, eager, or enthusiastic; zealous: an ardent theatergoer. an ardent student of French history.
vehement; fierce: They were frightened by his ardent, burning eyes.
burning, fiery, or hot: the ardent core of a star.

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RELATED WORDS

avid, zealous, impassioned, vehement, intense, keen, fierce, passionate, fervent, devoted, resolute, steadfast, agog, blazing, burning, desirous, eager, fervid, fiery, horny

Origin of ardent

1325–75; < Latin ārdent- (stem of ārdēns, present participle of ārdēre to burn), equivalent to ārd- burn + -ent- -ent; replacing Middle English ardant < Middle French
Related formsar·dent·ly, adverbar·den·cy [ahr-dn-see] /ˈɑr dn si/, ar·dent·ness, noun

Synonyms for ardent

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ardent ON THESAURUS.COM
1. fervid, eager, impassioned. 2. avid.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ardent

Contemporary Examples of ardent

Historical Examples of ardent

  • His ardent young eyes worshiped her as he stood on the pavement.

    K

    Mary Roberts Rinehart

  • He trembled before this innocence, so ardent and so ingenuous.

    The Dream

    Emile Zola

  • The brave and ardent 84th, commanded by Willis, dashes to the front.

  • Arthur, who has just finished his studies, is still an ardent sailor.

  • Prisoners arrived fast, until we had four hundred in the Ardent.

    Ned Myers

    James Fenimore Cooper

British Dictionary definitions for ardent

ardent

adjective

expressive of or characterized by intense desire or emotion; passionateardent love
intensely enthusiastic; eageran ardent longing
glowing, flashing, or shiningardent eyes
rare burningan ardent fever
Derived Formsardency, nounardently, adverb

Word Origin for ardent

C14: from Latin ārdēre to burn
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for ardent
adj.

early 14c., of alcoholic distillates, brandy (ardent spirits), etc., from Old French ardant (13c.) "burning, hot; zealous," from Latin ardentem (nominative ardens) "glowing, fiery, hot, ablaze," also used figuratively of passions, present participle of ardere "to burn," from PIE root *as- "to burn, glow" from PIE root *as- "to burn, glow" (cf. Old English æsce "ashes;" see ash (n.1)).

Ardent spirits (late 15c.) so called because they are inflammable, but the term now, if used at all, probably is felt in the figurative sense. The figurative sense (of "burning with" passions, desire, etc.) is from late 14c.; literal sense of "burning, parching" (c.1400) remains rare. Related: Ardently.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper