devout
Americanadjective
-
devoted to divine worship or service; pious; religious.
a devout Catholic.
- Antonyms:
- irreverent
-
expressing devotion or piety.
devout prayer.
-
earnest or sincere; hearty.
He had a devout allegiance to the political regime.
adjective
-
deeply religious; reverent
-
sincere; earnest; heartfelt
a devout confession
Related Words
See religious.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of devout
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French devo(u)t, from Late Latin dēvotus, Latin: “devoted”; see devote
Explanation
To be devout is to be deeply devoted to one's religion or to another belief, cause, or way of life. If you're reading this, you're probably a devout believer in improving your vocabulary. Devout is often used to describe religious individuals, but this word also pops up in the context of sports fans — a fact that may shed some light on the role of sports in today's society. However, while it's usually acceptable for a devout individual to miss work for religious holidays, devout sports fans have a tougher time convincing their boss to let them off for the big game.
Vocabulary lists containing devout
I Am Malala
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The Things They Carried
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The Alchemist
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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.
Devout fans of "Yellowjackets" are familiar with the series’ penchant for providing more questions than answers.
From Salon • Mar. 11, 2025
Devout baseball fans might view their teams’ performance as heavenly or hellish, depending on the quality of play.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 16, 2023
Devout Muslims fast from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, and usually eat a meal before the sun comes up.
From Reuters • Apr. 20, 2023
Devout Baptists, Jim Bob and Michelle did not use birth control.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2021
This is a part of a prayer made by no less a person than His Holiness, Pope Gregory VII, in his Devout Exercise of the Passion of Christ, Manila, 1905.
From The Legacy of Ignorantism by Pardo de Tavera, T. H. (Trinidad Hermenegildo)
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.
