passion

Etymology

From Middle English passioun, passion, from Old French passion (and in part from Old English passion), from Latin passio (“suffering”), noun of action from perfect passive participle passus (“suffered”), from deponent verb patior (“I suffer”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (“to hurt”), see also Old English fēond (“devil, enemy”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌹𐌰𐌽 (faian, “to blame”).

noun

1. A true desire sustained or prolonged.
2. Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or extreme hate.
   We share a passion for books.
   That was partly because of a swirling wind that made precision passing difficult and also a derby atmosphere where the emphasis seemed to be on passion rather than football. 16 January 2011, Saj Chowdhury, “Sunderland 1 – 1 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 2019-12-07
3. Fervor, determination.
4. An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.
   It started as a hobby, but now my motorbike collection has become my passion.
5. Sexual intercourse, especially when very emotional.
   We shared a night of passion.
6. (Christianity, usually capitalized) The suffering of Jesus leading up to and during his crucifixion.
   Moreouer the perfit beleue of this article, worketh in all true chriſten people, aloue to continue in this vnitie, and afeare to be caſte out of the ſame, and it worketh in them that be ſinners and repentant, great comforte, and conſolacion, to obteine remiſſion of ſinne, by vertue of Chriſtes paſſion, and adminiſtracion of his ſacramentes at the miniſters handes, ordained for that purpoſe, … 8 June 1543, Henry VIII of England, “The Nynthe Article. The Holy Catholike Churche.”, in A Necessary Doctrine and Erudicion for Any Chrysten Man, Set furth by the Kynges Maiestye of Englande, &c., imprinted at London: […] by Thomas Berthelet,[…], →OCLC
7. A display, musical composition, or play meant to commemorate the suffering of Jesus.
8. (obsolete) Suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress.
   a cardiac passion
9. (obsolete) The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition
10. (obsolete) The capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.
11. (obsolete) An innate attribute, property, or quality of a thing.
    … to obtain the knowledge of some passion of the circle.
12. (obsolete) Disorder of the mind; madness.

verb

1. (obsolete) To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.
2. (transitive) To give a passionate character to.