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Fanatic vs Pious - What's the difference?

fanatic | pious |

As adjectives the difference between fanatic and pious

is that fanatic is fanatical while pious is of or pertaining to piety, exhibiting piety, devout, godfearing.

As a noun fanatic

is a person who is zealously enthusiastic for some cause, especially in religion.

fanatic

English

Alternative forms

* fanatick (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Fanatical.
  • * T. Moore
  • But Faith, fanatic Faith, once wedded fast / To some dear falsehood, hugs it to the last.
  • (obsolete) Showing evidence of possession by a god or demon; frenzied, overzealous.
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who is zealously enthusiastic for some cause, especially in religion.
  • See also

    * fan * crank

    Quotations

    * A zealot can't change his mind. A fanatic can't change his mind and won't change the subject. — (attributed) * A fanatic is one who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim. —

    pious

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Of or pertaining to piety, exhibiting piety, devout, godfearing.
  • * 2014, (Paul Salopek), Blessed. Cursed. Claimed. , National Geographic (December 2014)[http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/12/pilgrim-roads/salopek-text]
  • Its male residents dress like crows: heavy black suits, black Borsalino hats, the old grandfathers hugely whiskered and the boys in peot, the curled sidelocks of the pious .

    Usage notes

    * Sometimes used pejoratively, in the sense of "mistaken" or "false" piety, as in "pious errors", "pious frauds".

    Synonyms

    * reverent, reverential, dutiful, religious, devout, godly

    Antonyms

    * (of or pertaining to piety) impious, independent, profane

    Derived terms

    * piously * piousness