fervid

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The Word of the Day for October 16 is:=20

fervid   \FER-vid\   adjective
          1 : very hot : burning
    *2 : marked by often extreme intensity of feeling

Example sentence:
          Jennie was such a fervid supporter of the proposed law that sh=
e drove all the way to Washington to demonstrate in favor of its passage=
.

Did you know?
          The Latin verb =E2=80=9Cfervere=E2=80=9D can mean =E2=80=9Cto =
boil=E2=80=9D or =E2=80=9Cto glow,=E2=80=9D as well as, by extension, =E2=
=80=9Cto seethe=E2=80=9D or =E2=80=9Cto be roused.=E2=80=9D In English, =
this root gives us three words that can mean =E2=80=9Cimpassioned=E2=80=9D=
 by varying degrees: =E2=80=9Cfervid,=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9Cfervent,=E2=80=9D=
 and =E2=80=9Cperfervid.=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CFervid=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9C=
fervent=E2=80=9D are practically synonymous, but while =E2=80=9Cfervid=E2=
=80=9D usually suggests warm emotion that is expressed in a spontaneous =
or feverish manner (as in =E2=80=9Cfervid basketball fans=E2=80=9D), =E2=
=80=9Cfervent=E2=80=9D is reserved for a kind of emotional warmth that i=
s steady and sincere (as in =E2=80=9Ca fervent belief in human kindness=E2=
=80=9D). =E2=80=9CPerfervid=E2=80=9D combines =E2=80=9Cfervid=E2=80=9D w=
ith the Latin prefix =E2=80=9Cper-=E2=80=9D (=E2=80=9Cthoroughly=E2=80=9D=
) to create a word meaning =E2=80=9Cmarked by overwrought or exaggerated=
 emotion,=E2=80=9D as in =E2=80=9Ca perfervid display of patriotism.=E2=80=
=9D





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