Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
adjective
- having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm, etc.; ardent: a fervent admirer; a fervent plea.
- hot; burning; glowing.
adjective
- intensely passionate; ardenta fervent desire to change society
- archaic, or poetic boiling, burning, or glowingfervent heat
mid-14c., from Old French fervent, from Latin ferventem (nominative fervens) “boiling, hot, glowing,” figuratively “violent, impetuous, furious,” present participle of fervere “to boil, glow,” from PIE root *bhreue- (see brew). The figurative sense of “impassioned” is first attested c.1400. Related: Fervency; fervently.