“Ardent” comes from the Latin verb “ardēre,” meaning “to burn.” The adjective “ardent” describes a feeling of burning with passion or zeal. It’s usually used in a positive sense, such as ardent support for a cause, or an ardent love affair. These feelings burn brightly in a figurative sense, but the word can also be used quite literally to describe a glowing or burning object such as the sun or a fire.