Definition of rabid

The term "rabid" comes from the Latin word "rabies," which means "madness" or "foaming at the mouth." In veterinary medicine, rabies is a deadly viral disease that affects the nervous system of mammals, leading to aggression, excessive salivation (foaming at the mouth), and erratic behavior. The term "rabid" originally referred to an animal that showed symptoms of rabies, including violent, unpredictable behavior. As the disease spread to humans, particularly through bites from infected animals, the term "rabid" also came to describe people who exhibited similar symptoms, such as foaming at the mouth and erratic behavior. In modern usage, the word rabid has come to describe an extreme enthusiasm or passion for a particular cause, hobby, or sport, often associated with outspoken, sometimes aggressive, behavior. While the use has evolved over time, the word still retains some of its original connotation of intense and sometimes uncontrollable behavior.