zealot

Zealot is a term with two related senses. In general English usage, a zealot is a person who is fanatically devoted to a cause, often with self-righteous or uncompromising fervor. The word carries a negative or pejorative connotation, implying intolerance or zeal in matters of belief, politics, or religion. The term derives from the Greek zēlōtēs, meaning ardent or zealous, used in the Second Temple period to describe a Jewish movement.

Historically, the Zealots were a political-religious faction in Judea during the first century CE. Emerging in the years leading up to the First Jewish-Roman War, they advocated active resistance to Roman rule and Hellenistic influence. The best-known faction associated with the Zealots included the Sicarii, who employed assassination tactics in public places. The Zealots played a central role in the outbreak of the war and in ongoing armed struggle until the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE and the destruction of the Temple; after this, the movement waned.

In modern usage, zealot often describes someone who adheres rigidly to a set of beliefs and is unwilling to compromise. It is not a neutral descriptor but can be used descriptively in historical contexts to refer to adherents of the ancient group, or more broadly to any fervent, uncompromising advocate. The term can also appear in political or religious discourse to characterize perceived extremism.