a very strong feeling of enthusiasm or love for an activity, idea, or goal
Even after a long day at work, Maria's passion for painting kept her in front of the canvas late into the night.
The coach spoke with such passion that the team felt inspired to play their best.
✦ Middle English, from Old French passion, from Latin passio ‘suffering, emotion’, from patī ‘to suffer’.
a strong, often overwhelming feeling of romantic or sexual desire
The movie depicts the sudden passion that draws two strangers together in the rain.
They kissed with a passion that left them both breathless.
✦ Same origin as Sense 1; meaning shifted in the late Middle Ages to include strong romantic desire.
showing or caused by very strong feelings, enthusiasm, or excitement
Maria is passionate about protecting the environment and volunteers every weekend.
The young chef spoke in a passionate voice about his new recipes.
✦ From Middle French passionné, from passion + -ate.
showing or caused by strong romantic or sexual feelings
The movie ended with a passionate kiss between the two heroes.
They wrote each other passionate letters during their time apart.
✦ Same origin as principal sense: Middle French passionné, rooted in Latin passio ‘suffering, feeling’.
a person who is full of strong feelings or enthusiasm
As a true passionate, he devoted his life to studying jazz history.
Only a passionate would spend nights mapping the stars from the rooftop.
✦ Derived from the adjective sense, used since the 17th century to label a person driven by passion.
(the Passion) the suffering and death of Jesus Christ before and during the crucifixion
During Easter, many churches stage plays about the Passion to help believers reflect on Jesus’s sacrifice.
Artists throughout history have painted scenes of the Passion in vivid detail.
✦ From Latin passio ‘suffering’, adopted into Church Latin to describe Christ’s ordeal.
