BharatNotes Zealous
adjectiveUsage in a UPSC answer
A zealous administration must temper its reforming fervour with constitutional restraint, lest the pursuit of efficiency erode the procedural safeguards that legitimise the very governance it seeks to strengthen.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
zeal (n), zealot (n), zealotry (n), zealously (adv), zealousness (n)
Root
Greek zēlos = ardour, eager rivalry; Late Latin zelus; Medieval Latin zelosus = full of zeal; PIE ya- = to seek
Etymology
From Medieval Latin zelosus 'full of zeal', from Late Latin zelus, from Greek zelos 'ardour, eager rivalry, emulation'; ultimately from PIE root *ya- 'to seek, desire'. Shares its root with 'jealous'.
Memory Hook
Hear 'zeal' inside 'zealous' — a zealous person is brimming with ZEAL. Note it rhymes with 'jealous', its etymological twin: both spring from Latin zelosus.
How This Word Works in UPSC Writing
Marked by intense enthusiasm for a cause. In GS4 it is genuinely double-edged, which is what makes it worth using precisely: zealous pursuit of duty is a virtue, while zealotry is its corruption into rigidity and intolerance. An ethics answer that distinguishes committed from zealous is doing exactly the calibration the paper rewards.
Don’t Confuse It With
Zealous is intensely enthusiastic and committed. Fervent stresses warmth of feeling rather than activity. Fanatical has crossed into unreasoning excess. Diligent is careful and persistent, without the emotional heat.
Hindi Meaning
उत्साही (utsāhī) for the positive sense; कट्टर (kattar) shades into fanatical.
Common Questions
- What does zealous mean?
- Showing great energy and enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective.
- Is being zealous a good thing?
- It depends on degree. Zealous commitment to duty is a virtue, but when it hardens into intolerance of other views it becomes zealotry.
Tip: press Alt+S to hear pronunciation
