passionate

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈpæʃənɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #5561

Meanings

1

adj
Showing or feeling very strong emotions or enthusiasm.

She is passionate about protecting the environment.
2

adj
Showing strong romantic or sexual feelings.

They shared a passionate kiss at the airport.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · showing or feeling very... ardent fervent fiery

Word family

Derived forms nonpassionateoverpassionatepassionatelypassionatenessunpassionate

Related forms impassion impassionate impassioned passion passive passivity patience patient

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

passionate love
Intense romantic affection accompanied by strong emotion and desire.

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English passionat, from Medieval Latin passiōnātus (“affected, impassioned, libidinous, easely angered”). Equivalent to passion + -ate (adjective-forming suffix). Compare French passionné.

*peh₁- Proto-Indo-European passionat Middle English passiōnātus la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# passionate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈpæʃənɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 5561

## Meanings
1. Showing or feeling very strong emotions or enthusiasm.
2. Showing strong romantic or sexual feelings.

## Examples
- She is passionate about protecting the environment.
- They shared a passionate kiss at the airport.

## Derived Forms
- nonpassionate
- overpassionate
- passionately
- passionateness
- unpassionate

## Related Forms
- impassion
- impassionate
- impassioned
- passion
- passive
- passivity
- patience
- patient

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *peh₁-
- Root: passionat
- Root: passiōnātus

## Etymology
From Middle English passionat, from Medieval Latin passiōnātus (“affected, impassioned, libidinous, easely angered”). Equivalent to passion + -ate (adjective-forming suffix). Compare French passionné.

## AI Etymology
Passionate comes from Middle English passionat, from Medieval Latin passiōnātus (“affected, impassioned, libidinous, easely angered”). Equivalent to passion + -ate (adjective-forming suffix). Compare French passionné. The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *peh₁-, Middle English passionat, and la-med passiōnātus. Modern senses include showing or feeling very strong emotions or enthusiasm and showing strong romantic or sexual feelings. The wider word family includes derivatives such as nonpassionate, overpassionate, passionately, passionateness, and unpassionate and related forms such as impassion, impassionate, impassioned, and passion.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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