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''ardor'' ▫ᴱᴺ|Definition|1st|20250716210729-00-⌔

ardor - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

Noun

ardor (countable and uncountable, plural ardors) (American spelling)

  • Great warmth of feeling; fervor; passion.
    • I rushed towards her, and embraced her with ardour; but the deathly languor and coldness of the limbs told me, that what I now held in my arms had ceased to be the Elizabeth whom I had loved and cherished.1
  • Spirit; enthusiasm; passion.
  • Intense heat.

Etymology

From Middle English ardour, ardowr, ardure, from Anglo-Norman ardour, from Old French ardur, from Latin ardor, from ardere (“to burn”).

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈɑːdə/
  • (US) IPA: /ˈɑːɹdɚ/
  • Audio (US): 🔊
  • Audio (Australian): 🔊
  • Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)də(ɹ)

Printed 2026-06-28.

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Footnotes

  1. 1816 June – 1817 April/May (date written), [Mary Shelley], chapter VI, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume III, London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, published 1 January 1818, →OCLC, page 120:

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