zealousyhttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zealousy_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezealousy, n.
Revised 2018

zealousynoun

  1. 1.
    1542–1656
    † Jealousy; mistrust. Obsolete.
    1. 1542
      Whiche grudges;..the zelousie, and the eagre feersenes of Olympias did augmente.
      N. Udall in translation of Erasmus, Apophthegmes ii. f. 177v
    2. 1598
      Or Zelozie of wife, or Sons suspect, or dout of frind.
      Queen Elizabeth I, translation of Plutarch, De Curiositate in Queen Elizabeth's Englishings (1899) 126/25
    3. 1656
      The Lover that doth charme you and for whom you burn, is not so to you as you'd have him, an evil humour, or a little zealousie [French jalousie], may banish him your good opinion.
      W. Lower, translation of P. Corneille, Horatius iii. iv. 33
  2. 2.
    c1565–
    Zeal, zealousness.
    1. c1565
      They to whom God hath gyuen the greater giftes, & whom he hath called to higher romes, are most bounde to be zealous for Gods glory, with godly zelousie to profit the Church & spouse of Christ vnder their charge.
      W. Turner, Hunting of Fox & Wolfe (new edition) sig. A.ii
    2. 1597
      His armour zelousie, his breast-plate heauen.
      T. Middleton, Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased v. sig. G2v
    3. 1659
      My zeal for you is good, and in a good thing, and constant, when I am absent, as well as present: The zealousie of my Emulators concerning you is perverse and counterfeit: Therefore return yee to my Doctrine.
      W. Retchford, translation of D. Dickson, Exposition of St. Pauls Epistles iv. 101/2
    4. 1833
      The zealousy of each sect, for its own respectibility [sic] and success.
      Z. Barstow, Sermon 10
    5. 1896
      His remarks were certainly of a generous character considering the zealousy of his late candidacy.
      Delphi (Indiana) Journal 9 April
    6. 1919
      No moral zealousy could have worked the miracle which these business men have wrought.
      W. G. Fitz-Gerald, America's Day (new edition) vii. 108
    7. 2015
      With zealousy they devised new inventions to please the council.
      E. S. Johnson, Light xii. 194

zealousy, n. was revised in June 2018.

zealousy, n. was last modified in July 2023.