Fanatikus

Fanatikus is a term used in several languages, notably Hungarian and Indonesian, to describe a person who shows extreme, often uncompromising, zeal for a belief, cause, or hobby. In general use, it can refer to a fervent admirer or to a zealous advocate who may resist dissent. In English, the closest equivalents are fanatic or zealot, but fanatikus can carry different nuances depending on context and language.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin fanaticus, itself from Greek phanatikos (often given in dictionaries as fanatikos), meaning inspired by the gods or intensely fervent. Over time it acquired pejorative connotations of irrational or extreme devotion.

Usage: In Hungarian, fanatikus functions as a common noun or adjective for someone with obsessive enthusiasm—such as a sports fan, a political partisan, or a religious devotee. Context can determine whether it is neutral or negative. In Indonesian usage, fanatikus (and the related fanatik) is a general loanword for someone with extreme enthusiasm for a person, team, or ideology; it can imply admiration but also intolerance or dogmatic behavior when controversy arises.

See also: fanaticism, zealot, devotion, fan.