Where does “overzealous” come from?
Overzealous derives from English zealous, which comes from Ancient Greek ζῆλος meaning ardor or rivalry, and ζηλόω meaning to emulate or be jealous.
overzealous (English): Too zealous; too enthusiastic or fervent
Definitions
- Too zealous; too enthusiastic or fervent
Ancestry of “overzealous”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Over- | Above, or higher |
| 2 | English | over | Discontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;... |
| 3 | Middle English | over | riverbank, seashore, brink |
| 4 | Old English | ōfer | riverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | obar | over, above |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | uber | over; over, above |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |