zelotic

Z10E1L1O1T1I1C3

adjective

Characteristic of zealots, especially those that were part of rebellious movements in biblical times.

Scrabble 18

Meanings

adjectivezelotic (comparative more zelotic, superlative most zelotic)

comparative more zelotic · superlative most zelotic

  1. Characteristic of zealots, especially those that were part of rebellious movements in biblical times.

    Attempts have been made from time to time to prove that Jesus was the leader of an unsuccessful zelotic revolt.

    1954, Ragnar Leivestad, Christ, the Conqueror, page 27
    5 more examples

    The zelotic opposition to the Roman government was in reality directed against the emperor, whose personal representatives the procurators were. Some zelotic leaders claimed to have messianic importance, which made the revolutionary attitude of these people appear still more serious.

    1964, The Anchor Bible - Volume 37, page xvii

    The similarities of this passage with that of the epitome from Dionysius cannot be overlooked. In characterizing the nature of the zelotic disposition, they both appeal to the process of "impregnation" by a supernatural enthusiasm, as well as the confluence of many rivulets into or from one "stream" or "current" which "irrigates" the soul of the emulator.

    1997, Martin John Gammon, Kant and the Decline of Classical Mimesis - Volume 1, page 193

    Cultures forced into this zelotic stand are exposed less to the demolition of their structures than to the full remolding of its contents, by what is the average of the "imaginary correct" accepted by globalization — or incompatible — to it.

    2002, Cândido Mendes, Enrique Rodriguez Larreta, Identity and difference in the global era, page 63

    There was a time when the church of Jerusalem consisted exclusively of “Hebrews”, Aramaic speaking Jews from the motherland, who were all zelotic practisants of the Law: Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of converts we have among the Jews, all of them staunch upholders of the Law." (Acts 21, 20).

    2008, Gilles Quispel, Johannes Van Oort, Gnostica, Judaica, Catholica

    Until that time, Jesus' disciples are being obliged to show patience, but are also obliged to avoid any form of falsity, especially the false humility and false ardor with a zelotic sense.

    2017, Bucevschi Eduard-Iulian, The Erothetical Value of Jesus' parables, page 11

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekζηλωτικός
  2. Latinzēlōticus
  3. Englishzelotic

Borrowed from Latin zēlōticus, from Ancient Greek ζηλωτικός (zēlōtikós). Equivalent to zealot + -ic.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ζηλωτικός
  • ζηλωτικός (zēlōtikós)pertaining to zealots, in the historical sense
Greek ζηλωτικός
  • ζηλωτικός (zilotikós)pertaining to zealots, in the historical sense
Latin zēlōticus
  • zēlōticuspertaining to zealots, in the historical sense
Cite this entry
APA

zelotic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zelotic

MLA

“zelotic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zelotic. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “zelotic,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zelotic.

Source: zelotic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.