Intense passion, enthusiasm, or fervent eagerness in feeling or expression; burning desire or zeal.
From Middle English and Old French ardence, derived from Latin ardentia, from the verb ardere meaning 'to burn' or 'to glow,' literally describing fire-like emotional intensity.
The metaphor in this word is ancient and universal—every language compares passion to fire or burning, and ardency preserves that fire imagery perfectly, making it feel more intense than the modern 'enthusiasm.'
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