zealot
noun
a person who shows zeal.
zealot
American
[zel-uht]
/ ˈzɛl ət /
noun
-
zealots
plural
-
a person who shows zeal.
-
an excessively zealous person; fanatic.
-
(initial capital letter) a member of a radical, warlike, ardently patriotic group of Jews in Judea, particularly prominent from a.d. 69 to 81, advocating the violent overthrow of Roman rule and vigorously resisting the efforts of the Romans and their supporters to heathenize the Jews.
Zealot
1
British
/ ˈzɛlət /
noun
zealot
2
British
/ ˈzɛlət /
noun
Synonym Usage
See fanatic.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of zealot
First recorded in 1400–50; earlier zelote from Late Latin zēlōtēs, from Greek zēlṓtēs, equivalent to zēlō- (variant stem of zēloûn “to be zealous”; see zeal) + -tēs agent suffix
Explanation
The hamburger zealot was so fanatical about his burgers that he camped outside his favorite fast-food joint for hours every morning, waiting for it to open. And he would never put mustard on them, only ketchup. The original zealots were a group of first-century Jews who were absolutely determined to overthrow Roman rule in Palestine. Today, anyone who goes overboard in their zeal, or enthusiasm, for a particular cause, a religion, a sports team, or a charitable organization — can be called a zealot. The coffee lover was a zealot regarding where his coffee was grown, who grew it, and how it was roasted.
Vocabulary lists containing zealot
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Grade 10, List 6
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT words Beginning with W,X,Y, and Z
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
If you were trying to turn a lay fan into a Caitlin Clark zealot, I don’t know that Saturday’s game would have been the first one you showed them.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 23, 2024
Diet Coke zealot Dan Kois speaks to an expert on the study of risk about whether it is time to panic.
From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2023
Cleveland was a boyhood bluegrass zealot, not a prodigy.
From New York Times ● Feb. 28, 2023
Mr. Rowe long plotted his escape even as he portrayed himself to peers as a zealot of Kim’s rule.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 6, 2023
Blanche, on the other hand, glowed with the certainty of a zealot.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
Others, such as a heavy metal show with Zealot RIP, Asthma Castle and Loud Boyz at DC Brau on Sept. 22, are in-person affairs.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 15, 2021
He calls himself the Turfgrass Zealot and has a stock speech about his successes.
From Golf Digest ● Sep. 25, 2019
Gabe Fazio’s Simon the Zealot is one of these, occupying the witness stand with such intensity and stillness that the whole room shrinks to his little part of it.
From New York Times ● Mar. 13, 2017
In the TV movie "Masada," when the Romans are near destroying the previously thought impenetrable wall protecting the Jews, one Zealot wishes aloud for more time to make it stronger.
From US News ● Nov. 19, 2015
The Zealot was frowning and looking at the Pharisees very suspiciously.
From Men Called Him Master by Elwyn A. (Elwyn Allen) Smith
The explanation is hard to untangle for those who aren’t true numerology zealots.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
For TV producers, it's long been tempting to invite two self-righteous zealots into a studio to bellow at each other.
From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2026
The U.S. built the post-war world around rules—not because we are zealots about law, but because rules have helped us.
From Barron's ● Jan. 5, 2026
Although a few zealots took issue with Dever’s selection, she lends the right proportion of jaggedness and focus to a complicated figure that needs to sustain our interest for the long term.
From Salon ● Apr. 13, 2025
All men of talent, whether they be men of feeling or not; whether they be zealots, or aspirants, or despots—provided only they be sincere—have their sublime moments, when they subdue and rule.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
