different between devout vs eager

English

Etymology

From Middle English devout, devot, from Old French devot (French dévot), from Latin d?v?tus, perfect passive participle of d?v?ve?. Doublet of devote.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d??va?t/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /d??v??t/
• Rhymes: -a?t

Adjective

devout (comparative devouter or more devout, superlative devoutest or most devout)

1. Devoted to religion or to religious feelings and duties; pious; extremely religious.
   • a. 1729, John Rogers, The Difficulties of Obtaining Salvation

     We must be constant and devout in the worship of our God.

2. (archaic) Expressing devotion or piety.

3. Warmly devoted; hearty; sincere; earnest.

Translations

Noun

devout (plural devouts)

1. (obsolete) A devotee.
2. (obsolete) A devotional composition, or part of a composition; devotion.

References

• devout in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• devouth, devot, devote, devolte

Etymology

From Old French devot, devout, from Latin d?v?tus (“vowed, promised”).

Adjective

devout

1. devout
2. sacred, holy

Descendants

• English: devout
• Scots: devot, devote, devoit

References

• “d?v?ut, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?i??/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?i???/
• Rhymes: -i???(?)

Etymology 1

From Middle English egre, eger, from Old French egre (French aigre), from Latin acer (“sharp, keen”); see acid, acerb, etc. Compare vinegar, alegar.

Alternative forms

• aigre (obsolete)
• eagre (obsolete)

Adjective

eager (comparative more eager, superlative most eager)

1. Desirous; keen to do or obtain something.
   • 1887, John Keble, s:The Christian Year

     When to her eager lips is brought / Her infant's thrilling kiss.

   • a crowd of eager and curious schoolboys
2. (computing theory) Not employing lazy evaluation; calculating results immediately, rather than deferring calculation until they are required.

   an eager algorithm

3. (dated) Brittle; inflexible; not ductile.

   • gold itself will be sometimes so eager, (as artists call it), that it will as little endure the hammer as glass itself

4. (obsolete) Sharp; sour; acid.
5. (obsolete) Sharp; keen; bitter; severe.

Synonyms

• keen
• raring
• fain (archaic)

Derived terms

• eager beaver
• eagerly
• eagerness

Translations

Etymology 2

See eagre.

Noun

eager (plural eagers)

1. Alternative form of eagre (tidal bore).

Further reading

• eager in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• eager in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• eager at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• aeger, agree, eagre, geare, æger