passion
Definitions
A very strong feeling of enthusiasm, love, or excitement
激情，热情；强烈的爱
A thing that arouses great enthusiasm; an intense interest or hobby
酷爱的事物；强烈的兴趣或爱好
(the Passion) the suffering and death of Christ
（the Passion）耶稣受难
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedpass (the Latin pati spelling, 'to suffer') + -ion (state) = literally 'a state of suffering.' The word began as the suffering of Christ, then any strong suffering, then any overwhelming feeling — and finally settled on intense love or enthusiasm.
Root path still carries 58 more wordsWhy It Means This
Passion's journey is from pain to fire. In medieval English it named one thing: the Passion, Christ's suffering on the cross. Because that suffering was so intense, 'passion' came to mean any feeling powerful enough to overwhelm you — first rage and grief, then love and desire, then today's everyday sense of burning enthusiasm. The thread running through every stage is intensity: a passion is a feeling that takes you over.
Example Sentences
- 1.
She spoke about climate change with real passion.
- 2.
Cooking is more than a hobby for him — it's a passion.
- 3.
Their argument was fueled by passion rather than reason.
Synonym Comparison
- passion — intense, sometimes consuming feeling; love, enthusiasm, or zeal
- enthusiasm — eager, energetic interest; lighter and more outward than passion
- zeal — passion directed at a cause, often with moral intensity
- fervor — heat of feeling, formal; intense earnestness
- obsession — passion that has crossed into the unhealthy and controlling