| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
| |
| ardent |
| |
| SYLLABICATION: | ar·dent |
| PRONUNCIATION: |  är dnt |
| ADJECTIVE: | 1. Expressing or characterized by warmth of feeling; passionate: an ardent lover. 2. Displaying or characterized by strong enthusiasm or devotion; fervent: “an impassioned age, so ardent and serious in its pursuit of art” (Walter Pater). 3a. Burning; fiery. b. Glowing; shining: ardent eyes. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English ardaunt, from Old French ardant, from Latin  rd ns, rdent-, present participle of rdre, to burn. See as- in Appendix I. | | OTHER FORMS: | arden·cy (-dn-s) —NOUN
ardent·ly —ADVERB
| | |
| |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
|
|
