What does rabidity mean?
Rabidity is a rare noun denoting an extreme, fanatical, or uncontrolled state. It may describe the violent enthusiasm of a crowd, the obsessive character of a belief, or, in older or more literary contexts, madness or frenzy. The word is strongly evaluative: to describe something as showing rabidity is to present it as unreasonable, excessive, or dangerously intense. “Rabid” is the more familiar adjective closely associated with it, while “rabidity” turns that quality into a noun. Although the word can occur in discussions of politics, religion, psychology, and historical writing, it is much less common in everyday speech than words such as “fanaticism,” “zealotry,” or “madness.” Its rarity and forceful sound make it particularly effective in descriptive or literary prose.
nounThe state of being rabid; violent or uncontrolled madness, or extreme and fanatical enthusiasm.
- The state of being wildly extreme, fanatical, or unreasonable.
- Violent or uncontrolled madness or frenzy.
"The rabidity of his rhetoric alarmed even his most devoted supporters."
"The rabidity of the crowd turned a disagreement into a spectacle."
"Historical accounts described the rabidity of the fever with clinical precision."
The plural is rare but regularly formed by adding “-es.”
"The novel portrays successive episodes of political rabidities."
Rabidity turns “rabid” into a noun for the place where reason has run out of leash.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does rabidity come from?
Rabidity was formed in English by adding the suffix “-ity” to “rabid.” “Rabid” comes from Latin rabidus, meaning “furious” or “rabid,” which is related to Latin rabere, “to rage.” The same Latin source also underlies English “rabies” and contributed to “rage.”
How rabidity is actually used
This is a rare and literary word. It is usually critical or derogatory when applied to political, religious, or social enthusiasm, and it may evoke the historical sense of furious or uncontrolled madness.
Easily confused with rabidity
Rabidity is the noun naming an extreme or fanatical state, whereas rabid is an adjective describing a person, opinion, or condition as wildly extreme or affected with rabies.