rabid
rabid
Pronunciation
Phonetic Spelling and Syllable Breakdown
The IPA phonetic spelling for rabid is /'ræb.ɪd/.
Syllable Sounds Breakdown
First Syllable (rab- /ræb/):
/r/ (voiced alveolar or postalveolar approximant) - The sound at the start of red.
/æ/ (near-open front unrounded vowel) - The sound in cat.
/b/ (voiced bilabial stop) - The sound at the start of ball.
Second Syllable (-id /ɪd/):
/ɪ/ (near-close near-front unrounded vowel) - The sound in bit.
/d/ (voiced alveolar stop) - The sound at the start of dog.
Word Form Variations
The term rabid is primarily an adjective. Its word form variations are:
Adjective (Base Form): rabid (e.g., a rabid dog)
Adverb: rabidly (e.g., to support rabidly)
Noun: rabidness (e.g., the rabidness of his fans)
Note: The word 'rabid' is not a verb, and it does not have plural or comparative/superlative forms as a primary use, although it can be used to describe a person or group in which case a plural could technically be used (e.g., the rabids).
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective (rabid)
Definition 1 (Medical/Zoological): Suffering from or characteristic of rabies, a viral disease of the nervous system that affects mammals and is typically transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, often causing foaming at the mouth and uncontrolled aggression.
Synonyms: hydrophobia-afflicted, mad (in the older sense of insane or furious), infected.
Antonyms: healthy, uninfected, cured.
Definition 2 (Figurative/General): Having or expressing an extreme, intense, or fanatical enthusiasm, zeal, or belief; marked by an uncompromising or overly passionate adherence.
Synonyms: fanatical, furious, frenzied, zealous, extreme, intense, feverish.
Antonyms: indifferent, apathetic, unenthusiastic, moderate, calm, mild.
Adverb (rabidly)
Definition: In a manner showing intense, extreme, or fanatical zeal or enthusiasm; with an uncompromising and fervent dedication.
Synonyms: fanatically, frenziedly, furiously, intensely, zealously.
Antonyms: indifferently, moderately, calmly, apathetically.
Noun (rabidness)
Definition: The quality or state of being rabid, typically referring to the intense, extreme, or fanatical nature of one's enthusiasm or devotion.
Synonyms: fanaticism, frenzy, zealousness, extremism, intensity.
Antonyms: indifference, apathy, moderation, calmness.
Examples of Use
📖 Books and Journalism (Literal and Figurative Use)
Medical/Zoological (Literal): News reports often use the term when a case of the disease is confirmed.
"Wildlife officials plan to increase rabies surveillance, but because moose tend to be solitary, they don't expect an outbreak in the moose population after a rabid moose was found in Alaska." (The Wildlife Society, July 2023)Book Title/Cultural History (Literal and Figurative): The word is used to describe the terror and culture surrounding the virus.
The book Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus delves into the history of the virus and its manifestation in art, literature, and myth, suggesting it gave rise to tales of vampires and werewolves. (Science News, July 2012)Personal Experience (Literal): Used in first-person accounts regarding exposure to the disease.
"I was bitten by a rabid bat." (The Guardian, August 2016)Political/Social Discourse (Figurative): Used to describe extreme political attitudes.
A scholarly paper uses the term to describe intense political behavior: "Negative Partisanship: Why Americans Dislike Parties But Behave Like Rabid Partisans." (Steven W. Webster, Emory University, 2018)
🎬 Entertainment and Media (Figurative Use)
Fandom/TV & Film Review: The term is frequently used in pop culture commentary to denote extreme devotion from a fanbase.
"Here are 10 TV Shows With the Most Rabid Fanbases You've Ever Seen," with examples including Star Trek and Doctor Who. (MovieWeb, November 2025)Media Analysis/Gender Studies: Used when discussing the perception of intense female fandom.
An academic essay discusses the difference in how male and female fans are portrayed: “‘Rabid, obsessed, and frenzied’: Understanding Twilight Fangirls and the Gendered Politics of Fandom.” (Melissa Click, Flow Journal, December 2009)Music/Concert Review: Used to describe the enthusiasm of a live audience.
"...Carey and SZA take the stage to roars from the rabid fans in the audience, who have been waiting outside all afternoon." (Variety, September 2025)
🗣️ General Public Discourse
Sports Commentary/News: Commonly used to describe highly passionate and sometimes unruly sports fans.
"That's in character for rabid Philly fans, who once tossed snowballs at Santa Claus during a long-ago Eagles game." (Sportico.com, October 2025)Public/Local Government Records (Literal): Used in the context of animal control and public safety mandates.
Part of an Animal Control Officer job description is: "To protect the public from rabid, dangerous or potentially diseased animals..." (Inyo County California, Job Description)Activist/Advocacy Debate (Figurative): Used as a label for a person holding an extreme viewpoint on an issue.
A colleague told me that my work was constrained by the fact that “everyone” thought I was a “rabid inclusionist.” (Kappan Online, July 2022)
10 Famous Quotes Using Rabid
“Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy.” (Winston Churchill, The River War, 1899)
“The devil is like a rabid dog tied to a chain; beyond the length of the chain, he cannot seize anyone.” (Padre Pio)
“March is a month without mercy for rabid basketball fans.” (Hunter S. Thompson)
“I would feel no hesitation in saying that it is the responsibility of a decent human being to give assistance to a child who is being attacked by a rabid dog…” (Noam Chomsky)
“There is no difference between a rabid dog and a warmonger!” (Mehmet Murat ildan)
“You know if there is a rabid dog running around, you have to one way or another put it down.” (Ben Carson)
“If you never been rabid, you ain't never lived.” (Chuck Palahniuk, Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey)
“The most difficult job in the world is to be a good fan, and they have been a great, rabid fan base.” (Jerry Jones)
“A rabid sports fan is one that boos a TV set.” (Original)
“When she was too young to resist, or even to understand, I turned my daughter into a lifelong, rabid Yankees fan.” (Bill Wasik, Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus)
Etymology
The word rabid has a straightforward and intense lineage, tracing its roots directly back to the concept of madness or fury.
Latin Origin: The word comes from the Latin verb $rabere$, which meant "to be mad," "to rave," or "to be furious."
Latin Adjective: From this verb, the Latin adjective $rabidus$ was formed, literally meaning "mad," "raging," or "furious." This Latin term was directly used to describe animals, particularly dogs, afflicted with the disease rabies.
English Adoption: The word was adopted into English, likely via French influence, but retaining the original Latin sense. The earliest known use and meaning of the word in English, dating back to the 17th century (c. 1610s), was its literal definition:
First Meaning: "Furious or mad from or as if from the disease rabies." It was used to describe an animal (usually a dog) suffering from the viral infection that causes extreme aggression and hydrophobia.Figurative Shift: Later, in the 18th century, the figurative, non-medical meaning developed. People started using "rabid" to describe intense, uncontrolled emotions, comparing extreme human passion or fanaticism to the mindless, furious aggression of a rabid animal.
In short, the word rabid is an English descendant of a Latin word for "rage" or "madness," and its first English use strictly meant afflicted with rabies.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Rabid
Phrases Directly Using "Rabid"
A rabid dog: Used literally to describe an animal infected with rabies, or figuratively to describe a person acting with senseless, ferocious hostility or extreme aggression.
A rabid fan (or fanbase): A very common figurative phrase used to describe an extremely zealous, intensely devoted, and often aggressive group of supporters for a celebrity, team, or hobby.
To be rabid about (something): To be fanatically enthusiastic or obsessively dedicated to a particular cause, belief, or interest.
To put down like a rabid dog: A grim metaphor for eliminating or harshly dealing with a person or group perceived as being uncontrollably dangerous or destructive (like an infected animal).
A rabid partisan/extremist: A phrase used in political or social discourse to describe someone who holds uncompromising, zealous, or fanatical views belonging to a specific faction.
Idioms and Phrases with Synonyms (Similar Effect)
These phrases use synonyms like mad or frenzied to achieve a similar effect of extreme, uncontrolled emotion or intensity.
Foaming at the mouth: (Using a synonym's consequence) An idiom meaning to be extremely angry, infuriated, or violently agitated, recalling the visible symptom of rabies.
To run amok: (Using a synonym of rabid's meaning) To rush about wildly in a frenzied or destructive manner; to behave in an uncontrolled fashion.
Mad as a hatter: (Using the synonym mad) A classic idiom meaning to be completely insane or utterly eccentric.
A frenzy of activity: (Using the noun form of the synonym frenzied) A state of extreme excitement or uncontrollable emotion involving chaotic action.
Wild-eyed zeal: (Using a synonym of rabid in context) A descriptive phrase for intense, fanatical devotion or enthusiasm that suggests an almost deranged appearance.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of rabid from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
