advocacy
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of advocacy
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English advocacye, from Medieval Latin advocātia; see advocate, -acy
Explanation
When you give your active support to an idea or cause, you are showing your advocacy for that cause. Your advocacy for an animal rights group might help raise money to save stray pups. The noun advocacy comes to English from a term used in Roman law. An advocate was a professional whose job was to plead cases in front of a court of law. That meaning led to the verb form advocate, as well as advocacy, to describe the work of an advocate. "The lunchroom staff were advocates for healthier school lunches; their advocacy was supported by parents and the school board; however, the students were reluctant to give up their cookies and chips."
Vocabulary lists containing advocacy
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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.
Homero López is an immigration attorney based in Louisiana who provides pro bono removal defense representation through his nonprofit, Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy.
From Slate • Apr. 23, 2026
“From age 30 to a hypothetical age 90 actual death, that could increase the death benefit two or threefold,” says Weber, who is also treasurer of the Life Insurance Consumer Advocacy Center.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
Advocacy groups including Equal Rights Advocates, Child USA and Sanctuary for Families have backed her efforts, warning that allowing retaliatory defamation claims to proceed could chill survivors from coming forward.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
Andrew Charlton, managing director of consultants Aviation Advocacy agrees.
From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026
Some Christians think that the Priesthood and Advocacy of Christ are one and the same.
From The Work Of Christ Past, Present and Future by Gaebelein, Arno Clemens
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
