- Today's Word
Idolatrous
eye-DOL-uh-truhs
Definition
- (adjective) Excessively devoted to or reverent toward someone or something, often to the point of worship.
Example
The fans’ idolatrous admiration for the pop star bordered on obsession.
Fun Fact
While “idolatrous” has religious origins, it is often used today to describe extreme fandom or devotion in non-religious contexts, from celebrity culture to technology. It’s a fascinating way to highlight humanity’s capacity for passionate allegiance.
(noun) An excessive amount of something, often to the point of disgust or discomfort.
The holiday season left him with a surfeit of goodwill and absolutely no energy — too many parties, too many conversations, too many people he genuinely liked but couldn’t face for one more evening.
Surfeit derives from the Old French surfait, meaning “excess,” built from sur- (“over” or “above”) and faire (“to do”) — literally “overdone.” It entered English in the 14th century, initially used almost exclusively in medical contexts to describe the physical consequences of overeating or overdrinking — conditions so common in medieval feast culture that physicians had developed elaborate treatments for them. Over time it broadened into its modern sense of any excess so overwhelming it tips from pleasure into discomfort.