ardor
Americannoun
-
great warmth of feeling; fervor; passion.
She spoke persuasively and with ardor.
- Synonyms:
- intensity, earnestness, spirit, fervency
-
intense devotion, eagerness, or enthusiasm; zeal.
his well-known ardor for Chinese art.
-
burning heat.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing ardor
Love Letter Words for Valentine's Day
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"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
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Grade 11, List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And he’s driven by an ardor that is both righteous and personal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
A fetching lass in Regency garb and her paramour, confessing his ardor.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 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
In person, though, he was just so much ardor next door, a boy whispering his heart through a solid garden wall.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
