Word of the Day: October 19, 2026
Fervid
adjectiveFER-vid
What It Means
- Fervid is used to describe people or things that express or are expressive of strong feelings.
- // The core of the book is the fervid letters the friends exchanged during the years they were apart.
- See the entry
Fervid in Context
“Fervid superfans of high-profile groups often pore over members’ appearances, performances, and private lives. Perceived ‘bad’ behavior such as smoking or drinking can earn widespread public backlash, forcing stars to live under strict rules.” — Jessie Yeung, CNN, 16 Jan. 2026
Vocab Builder:Fervid
1 of 3
Which word is closest in meaning to fervid?
A.
Indifferent
B.
Thoughtful
C.
Passionate
Did You Know?
The metaphor of strong emotions bubbling over simmers in the roots of fervid, which comes from the Latin verb fervēre, meaning “to boil.” In English, this root gave us not only fervid but the similar-sounding and sometimes synonymous word fervent. But while fervid usually suggests warm emotion that is expressed in a spontaneous or feverish manner (as in “fervid basketball fans”), fervent is reserved for a kind of emotional warmth that is steady and sincere (as in “a fervent belief in human kindness”). Fervid fans of kimchi or sauerkraut (or fervent followers of anything fermented), may appreciate that fervēre is also the root of ferment.
