adjective
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relating to or having rabies
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zealous; fanatical; violent; raging
Other Word Forms
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.
It’s hard to imagine a more rabid fan base than the Hallmark devotees.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
"Star Trek" was given a tepid reception when it debuted, but it eventually snowballed into a cultural phenomenon, spawning a universe of spinoff series along with the films, and a rabid fan following.
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026
For an intelligent man and fluent historian, this spite work on the royals—for that is it what it is—is written with all the subtlety of a rabid corgi.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Public health officials say Los Angeles County is experiencing an alarming influx of rabid bats — matching the highest number ever recorded before peak season is even over.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Tucker folded his hands in his lap as if he’d finally realized he looked like a rabid monkey.
From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
