Ardency

having, expressive of, or characterized by intense feeling; p-ssionate; fervent:
an ardent vow; ardent love.
intensely devoted, eager, or enthusiastic; zealous:
an ardent theatergoer. an ardent student of french history.
vehement; fierce:
they were frightened by his ardent, burning eyes.
burning, fiery, or hot:
the ardent core of a star.
historical examples

adelaide poured forth her grat-tude and her pleasure, with all the ardency of feelings long suppressed.
manners, vol 2 of 3 frances brooke

if my reasoning is correct, the ardency of your p-ssion might have closed with the pursuit.
alonzo and melissa daniel jackson, jr.

bending beside her, sidney was evincing an ardency entirely paradoxical, when i considered his indifferent temperament.
mariposilla mary stewart daggett

oh, forgive the ardency of my p-ssion, which has compell’d me to deceive you.
the belle’s stratagem hannah cowley

their words, and, above all, the ardency of their glances betrayed that.
the mermaid of druid lake and other stories charles weathers b-mp

words cannot describe the ardency of my flame; it is actions only that can do it.
the history of miss betsy thoughtless eliza haywood

mary, too, is evincing the ardency of her affection; and with the same deplorable ignorance of the locality of the organs.
the swamp doctor’s adventures in the south-west john robb

the ardency of her affections and the determinate character of her mind were well known to her royal relatives.
secret history of the court of england, from the accession of george the third to the death of george the fourth, volume i (of 2) lady anne hamilton

in proportion as his fancy is powerful, these chimeras themselves will become food necessary to its ardency.
the system of nature, volume 2 paul henri thiery (baron d’holbach)

she received me with all the ardency of affection, and even shed tears of joy in my presence.
alonzo and melissa daniel jackson, jr.

adjective
expressive of or characterized by intense desire or emotion; p-ssionate: ardent love
intensely enthusiastic; eager: an ardent longing
glowing, flashing, or shining: ardent eyes
(rare) burning: an ardent fever
n.

1540s, “warmth of feeling, desire,” from ardent + -cy. a figurative sense, the literal meaning “intensity of heat” wasn’t attested in english until 1630s.
adj.

early 14c., of alcoholic distillates, brandy (ardent spirits), etc., from old french ardant (13c.) “burning, hot; zealous,” from latin ardentem (nominative ardens) “glowing, fiery, hot, ablaze,” also used figuratively of p-ssions, present participle of ardere “to burn,” from pie root -as- “to burn, glow” from pie root -as- “to burn, glow” (cf. old english æsce “ashes;” see ash (n.1)).

ardent spirits (late 15c.) so called because they are inflammable, but the term now, if used at all, probably is felt in the figurative sense. the figurative sense (of “burning with” p-ssions, desire, etc.) is from late 14c.; literal sense of “burning, parching” (c.1400) remains rare. related: ardently.