ardor

American  

[ahr-der] / ˈɑr dər /

especially British, ardour

noun

1. great warmth of feeling; fervor; passion.

   She spoke persuasively and with ardor.

   Synonyms:

   intensity, earnestness, spirit, fervency

2. intense devotion, eagerness, or enthusiasm; zeal.

   his well-known ardor for Chinese art.

3. burning heat.

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Etymology

Origin of ardor

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin, equivalent to ārd ( ēre ) to burn + -or -or ¹; replacing Middle English ardure < Old French ardur < Latin, as above; 17th century ardour < Anglo-French < Latin, as above

Explanation

Are you inspired to write love poems to your crush? Sprinkle rose petals in her path? Then you're feeling ardor — an intense kind of warmth and fervor most often associated with love. The Brits spell ardor with an extra vowel, so you'll often see this word written as ardour. But on either side of the pond it's a noun that brings to mind Pepe Le Pew and his fervent pursuit of the female species. But ardor isn't always about love. It's perfectly platonic to be "an ardent supporter" of a certain cause, or show eagerness and ardor in your approach to anything.

Example Sentences

García Harfuch isn’t the only politician in Mexico who inspires romantic ardor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Investors could well lose some ardor for Ferrari if it can’t get the electric rollout right.

From Barron's • Oct. 9, 2025

Van Patten and De Domenico plausibly capture that youthful ardor while making it obvious why their displays of affection translate poorly to local police officials unprepared to investigate a murder that quickly drew international scrutiny.

From Salon • Aug. 20, 2025

So perhaps it’s not surprising that the ardor and enthusiasm of 2022 have faded.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2024

Although the loss rocked Lopsang hard, it didn’t diminish his ardor for climbing.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• eagerness
• earnestness
• fervor
• intensity
• passion
• warmth
• zeal