acolyte
Americannoun
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an altar attendant in public worship.
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Roman Catholic Church.
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a member of the highest-ranking of the four minor orders.
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the order itself.
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any attendant, assistant, or follower.
noun
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a follower or attendant
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Christianity an officer who attends or assists a priest
Etymology
Origin of acolyte
1275–1325; Middle English acolite < Medieval Latin acolytus < Greek akólouthos follower, attendant, equivalent to a- prefix denoting association + -kolouthos, variant of kéleuthos road, journey
Explanation
A person who helps with religious services is an acolyte. An acolyte is also a fan or follower of the famous, so you can find an acolyte in church or at a concert. Acolyte goes back to the Greek root akolouthos, meaning "follower," and it came into English in the 14th century. While an acolyte often serves in an earned and admired role within a religious ceremony, a second definition is "fan." Acolytes of movie stars or pro athletes closely follow their careers — with great admiration — and would love to be just like their heroes.
Vocabulary lists containing acolyte
The Stranger
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"The Night Face Up," Vocabulary from the short story
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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.
A mother superior in her 40s, she has found a young acolyte, Richardis, deeply devoted to her and who paints representations of Hildegard’s visions.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025
The US leader said he had heard "great things about her" and hailed the fact that she was an acolyte of assassinated former premier Shinzo Abe, with whom he had close ties.
From Barron's • Oct. 26, 2025
Takaichi is an acolyte of the late Shinzo Abe, a former prime minister and Trump ally.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 21, 2025
The Hitler acolyte Joseph Goebbels once said that the big joke on democracy was that it provided its mortal enemies with the means of its own destruction.
From Salon • May 20, 2025
They brought a robe for her as well, the soft thick robe of an acolyte, black upon one side and white upon the other.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
