Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

devotee

American  
[dev-uh-tee, -tey] / ˌdɛv əˈti, -ˈteɪ /

noun

  1. a person who is greatly devoted to something.

  2. a person who is extremely devoted to a religion; a follower.

  3. an enthusiastic follower or fan.

    He's a devotee of jazz.


devotee British  
/ ˌdɛvəˈtiː /

noun

  1. a person ardently enthusiastic about or devoted to something, such as a sport or pastime

  2. a zealous follower of a religion

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See fanatic.

Etymology

Origin of devotee

First recorded in 1635–45; devote + -ee

Explanation

Devotee is a fancy word for "fan." Some people are superfans of Katy Perry. Others save their love and adoration for Mozart. Either way, they are huge devotees of the musicians they love. People are called devotees because they're particularly devoted to something. Be it hot yoga, fluffy cats or chocolate cake, a devotee is an ardent follower. In the traditional sense this word was reserved for the extremely devout, who were devoted to their religion. But these days you can be a devotee of just about anything.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing devotee

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

No one there tried to make me a “Mario Kart” devotee.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

In puzzling over that question at least, I’ve got company in Marjorie Taylor Greene, the now-former congresswoman from Georgia and onetime Trump devotee who remains stalwart in his America First movement.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

And that is precisely why I, a longtime devotee of the city, found myself at the Luxor for a three-day stint in October.

From Slate • Nov. 18, 2025

Melanie is a loyal devotee, using one chicken to anchor several nights of easy, low-cook meals: sandwiches, salads, grain bowls, quesadillas.

From Salon • Jul. 21, 2025

Near the town was Gotama’s favorite abode, the Jetavana grove, which the rich merchant Anatha-pindika, a great devotee of the Illustrious One, had presented to him and his followers.

From "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "devotee" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com