zealot

noun

zeal·​ot ˈze-lət 

1

: a zealous person

especially : a fanatical partisan

a religious zealot

2

Zealot : a member of a fanatical sect arising in Judea during the first century a.d. and militantly opposing the Roman domination of Palestine

Did you know?

In the 1st century A.D., a fanatical sect arose in Judaea to oppose the Roman domination of Palestine. Known as the Zealots, they fought their most famous battle at the great fortress of Masada, where 1,000 defenders took their own lives just as the Romans were about to storm the fort. Over the years, zealot came to mean anyone who is passionately devoted to a cause. The adjective zealous may describe someone who's merely dedicated and energetic ("a zealous investigator", "zealous about combating inflation", etc.). But zealot (like its synonym fanatic) and zealotry (like its synonym fanaticism) are used disapprovingly—even while Jews everywhere still honor the memory of those who died at Masada.

Synonyms of zealot

• partisan
• militant
• crusader
• activist
• fanatic

Examples of zealot in a Sentence

zealots on both sides of the issue resorted to name-calling and scare tactics

Recent Examples on the Web

Set in the last year of World War II on the remote North Sea island of Amrum, the story is told from the point of view of 12-year-old Nanning (Jasper Billerbeck), whose zealot mother (Laura Tonke) is raising him as a good Nazi while his father fights in the war. —Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 8 Apr. 2026

Clara Molot talks to the zealots who are holding the line. —Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026

Americans tended to see him as a religious zealot. —Alex Shams, Time, 14 Mar. 2026

Co-founder Raymond Cogan was a fan from his first ride, but became a zealot about a year later after hearing another cyclist putting the popular bike club down. —Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin zelotes, from Greek zēlōtēs, from zēlos

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for zealot

• chelate
• pellet
• prelate
• appellate

Kids Definition

zealot

noun

zeal·​ot ˈzel-ət 

: a zealous person

especially : an overly zealous supporter