energumen
/ˌɛnərˈɡjumən/
noun
- A person who is extremely enthusiastic or fanatical about something.
- The crowd of energumens cheered wildly at the political rally.
- My brother is a total energumen when it comes to collecting vintage comic books.
- He was an energumen for environmental causes, spending every weekend planting trees.
- A person believed to be possessed by a demon or evil spirit (historical/religious sense).
- In medieval times, an energumen was often brought to a priest for an exorcism.
- Historians study accounts of energumens to understand ancient beliefs about possession.
- The old text described the strange behavior of an energumen in the village.
Synonyms