Other forms: fanatics
A fanatic is somebody whose enthusiasm has passed all reason. A religious fanatic, a fitness fanatic, called them fanatics.
It is an insult in the serious sense and a joke in the light one — a fitness fanatic is being teased, and a religious fanatic is being accused. The Latin fanaticus meant inspired by a temple, and the word carried divine frenzy before it meant excess.
1nounfanaticSomebody whose enthusiasm has passed all reason.
“The fanatics attacked anyone who disagreed with their leader.”
fanatic is a person.
Latin fanaticus means inspired by a temple, from fanum, a temple. The word first described divine frenzy.
Latin
fānāticus
English, today
fanatic
Built from
Learned borrowing from Latin fānāticus. First attested in 1525. Latin fānāticus (“of a temple, divinely inspired, frenzied”), from fānum (“temple”). Influenced by French fanatique.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA