fanatic

1 of 2

noun

fa·​nat·​ic fə-ˈna-tik How to pronounce fanatic (audio)
plural fanatics
1
disapproving : a person exhibiting excessive enthusiasm and intense uncritical devotion toward some controversial matter (as in religion or politics)
a religious fanatic [=extremist]
The fanatics are convinced they are serving a righteous cause and that all means are justified …Flora Lewis
2
: a person who is extremely enthusiastic about and devoted to some interest or activity
a boating/sports/racing fanatic
She's a real fanatic when it comes to working out.
Since the U.S. economy began to sputter in 2008, shoppers have become coupon fanatics and lovers of buy-one-get-one-free deals …Janet K. Keeler

fanatic

2 of 2

adjective

variants or fanatical
: marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion
they're fanatic about politics
a fanatic attention to details
fanatically adverb
fanaticalness noun

Did you know?

The Fanatical Origin of Fan

There are a good number of etymological myths in the English language, stories about the origins of words (such as the widespread notion that posh originated as an acronym for “port out, starboard home”) which are, to put it kindly, inaccurate. But this does not mean that every vivid account of linguistic origin is fictitious. Many words, such as fan, do have colorful backstories.

Fan is generally–and very likely correctly–believed to be a shortened form of fanatic. The origin of fanatic (which can be traced back to the Latin word fanum, meaning “sanctuary, temple”) is less often commented on. In English, fan made an early appearance in the late 17th century only to disappear for two centuries, resurfacing in the late 19th century. In this later period of use, it often referred to the devoted observers of, or participants in, a sport. An 1885 article from The Kansas City Times, for example, contains the line “The base ball ‘fans’ of the ploice [sic] force and fire department engage in a ball game.”

Did you know?

The Latin adjective fanaticus, a derivative of the noun fanum, meaning “temple,” originally meant “of or relating to a temple.” It was later used to refer to pious individuals who were thought to have been inspired by a god or goddess. In time, the sense “frantic, frenzied, mad” arose because it was thought that persons behaving in such a manner were possessed by a deity. This was the first meaning of the English word fanatic. This sense is now obsolete, but it led to the meaning “excessively enthusiastic, especially about religious matters.” The word later became less specific, meaning simply “excessively enthusiastic or unreasonable.” The noun fan, meaning “enthusiast,” is probably a shortening of fanatic.

Examples of fanatic in a Sentence

Adjective because of her fanatical views, her friends know better than to try to discuss the issues with her
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The fanatics and fundamentalists who tell us straight that all Palestinians deserve to die are chilling, but honest. Hazlitt, 6 Mar. 2024 The Arab leaders have long seen the Houthis as dangerous proxies for Iran, the group’s main military supplier, but some observers now say the truth may be even worse: that the Houthis are fanatics who answer to no one. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2024 Securing a seat at any show, especially a buzzy show like The Row, is an exciting moment in any fashion fanatic’s life. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2024 This became the metanarrative that binds many contemporary Jews, from uneasy liberal Zionists to settler fanatics, to a tradition that can feel otherwise unmoored. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Feb. 2024 Dune fanatics may recall, fondly or otherwise, Sting’s portrayal of the dreaded Feyd Rautha as a sinewy male model in a winged codpiece in David Lynch’s 1984 version. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024 These devoted cruise fanatics, most of them retirees, have one main goal: to almost never touch dry land. Ceylan Yeginsu Scott McIntyre, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024 In an effort to help coffee fanatics everywhere find the perfect place to call home, Clever, a real estate listing website, put together a list of the best and worst coffee cities around America. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2024 Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant Often the scene for sport fanatics, Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant will host a watch party for the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight from 7:30 pm. Chloe Herring, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
Adjective
In the spotlight today: Meet fitness and fashion fanatic Eve Dawes. Vogue Club, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2024 Founding Fathers fanatic, but there truly were some brilliant men who set this country on its democratic course. Erik Kain, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 Instant feedback tech For the data fanatic who wants real-time performance metrics to improve their round, this is a genius gadget. Amy Schlinger, wsj.com, 19 Dec. 2023 An ideal stocking stuffer for the skincare fanatic in your life, this skincare set is 50 percent off right now. Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Nov. 2023 Her New York Knicks fanatic dad drew some inspiration from the team when naming his firstborn, borrowing her moniker from NBA star Cazzie Russell. Emma Kershaw, Peoplemag, 26 Dec. 2023 To make sure your Funko Pop stocking stuffers arrive in time for the holidays, add one for each of your pop culture fanatic giftees to your cart and take advantage of these major discounts. Mia Huelsbeck, Peoplemag, 17 Dec. 2023 Benito appeared in most of the show’s sketches, appearing in drag multiple times—once as a nun—as well as a Spanish monarch, a telenovela star, and bizarrely, a Shrek fanatic. Matthew Ismael Ruiz, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2023 For the floral fanatic UrbanStems’ renewable bevy of blossoms have become one of Buy Side’s go-to gifts, thanks to the quality, style and value of their arrangements. Leigh-Ann Jackson, wsj.com, 24 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fanatic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin fanaticus inspired by a deity, frenzied, from fanum temple — more at feast

First Known Use

Noun

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fanatic was in 1550

Dictionary Entries Near fanatic

Cite this Entry

“Fanatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fanatic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fanatic

adjective
fa·​nat·​ic fə-ˈnat-ik How to pronounce fanatic (audio)
variants or fanatical
: overly enthusiastic or devoted
fanatic noun
fanatically adverb
fanaticism
-ˈnat-ə-ˌsiz-əm
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fanatic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!