zeal
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zeal¹
- /ziːl/ UK
- /zil/ US
Rhymes with -iːl
Where it comes from
From Middle English zele, from Old French zel, from Late Latin zēlus, from Ancient Greek ζῆλος (zêlos, “zeal, jealousy”), from Proto-Indo-European *yeh₂- (“to search”). Related to jealous.
noun zeals
- The fervour or tireless devotion for a person, cause, or ideal and determination in its furtherance; diligent enthusiasm; powerful interest. She extols the virtues of veganism with missionary zeal.
- A person who exhibits such fervour or tireless devotion. […] like a malicious purblinde zeale as thou art!
- A group of zebras. A zeal of zebras confuses predators. Each zebra has a different set of stripes.
zeal²
- /ziːl/ UK
- /zil/ US
Rhymes with -iːl
noun
- A light zomp.
