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Synonyms

devotee

American  
[dev-uh-tee, -tay] / 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.

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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.

See Examples For:

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

You don’t have to be a devotee of Bernie Sanders or New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Madami to recognize that fact.

From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2025

Edwin was a Boy Scout and a Pokémon devotee.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2025

Johnson Valley devotee Dave Cole lives on 15 acres that back up onto the OHV area.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2025

Indeed, anyone proposing such a course must come under suspicion as a devotee of paralysis.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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