adjective
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relating to or having rabies
-
zealous; fanatical; violent; raging
Other Word Forms
- rabidity noun
- rabidly adverb
- rabidness noun
Etymology
Origin of rabid
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin rabidus “raving, furious, mad,” from rab(ere) “to rave, be mad” + -idus -id 4
Explanation
Chances are that if the tail-wagging dog that just appeared on your doorstep is also foaming at the mouth and chewing on your welcome mat, it's rabid and you should back away slowly; no petting for this infectious pup. While you've likely heard it used to describe an animal infected by rabies, rabid (derived from the Latin verb rabere, "be mad, rave") can also dramatically describe a person exhibiting fanatical, extremely enthusiastic, or raging behavior. That guy who nearly knocked you off the stands at the football game with his energetic fist-pumping and then was later kicked out for getting into a fight with another fan? Rabid on both counts.
Vocabulary lists containing rabid
The Lightning Thief
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 1
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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.
Far from cheapening the brand, Ferrari’s rabid base of superfans only enhances the brand’s appeal to clients who can afford to pay millions of dollars for a car they will rarely drive.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
A lot of cases it would be 10 rabid fans — friends of the rich guy — then 20 other people that are on the guest list or they’re family or they’re neighbors.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
“As much as I appreciate how rabid and interested people are at this point, the first season worked because I trusted my gut with this, and I’m going to do that again,” Tierney says.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026
Similarly, not all Faithfuls are gallant, as is confirmed by Michael Rapaport’s rabid behavior.
From Salon • Jan. 28, 2026
With almost rabid delight, the children consumed them.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
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.
