fervid
Americanadjective
-
heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm, etc..
a fervid orator.
-
burning; glowing; intensely hot.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fervid
First recorded in 1590–1600, fervid is from the Latin word fervidus boiling. See fervent, -id 4
Explanation
Fervid can be used to describe something that is physically hot such as “a fervid day in August,” but it is more often used to describe heated emotions like anger, love, or desire. When passions and emotions run wild, you should expect to hear some fervid language thrown about. The adjective fervid comes from the Latin fervidus which means “glowing, burning, or boiling.” It is often used like the word fiery. You might hear a politician deliver a fervid speech if he or she is particularly worked up over an issue.
Vocabulary lists containing fervid
"The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe
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"The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton
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Jane Eyre
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Celine Dion is lovingly lampooned in all her sentimental goofiness, along with the fervid plot of James Cameron’s blockbuster.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
Mr. Nézet-Séguin found the score’s oceanic qualities without wallowing in them, holding to its throughline even in the most fervid passages, and making the mood changes between the acts and within them clear.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026
For decades Ms. Coleman operated at the center of a fervid community of journalists and activists in and around Berkeley.
From New York Times ● Apr. 6, 2024
‘Oppenheimer’ VFX supervisor Andrew Jackson reveals how fervid experimentation led to the creation of the nuclear explosion scene.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 2, 2024
He talked about Nigerian politics with the fervid enthusiasm of a person who followed it from afar, who read and reread articles on the Internet.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
