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
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.
It doesn’t matter how hard Bondi worked as his acolyte and protector.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026
Before taking power, Takaichi, an acolyte of ex-premier Shinzo Abe, was a vocal critic of China and its military build-up in the Asia-Pacific.
From Barron's • Nov. 15, 2025
The trial started just days after an Abe acolyte, Sanae Takaichi, became Japan’s prime minister with a platform strongly influenced by Abe’s views, including support for higher military spending.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025
His acolyte, Councilmember Gracey Van Der Mark, plans to run for assembly next year.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2025
She looked up, saw the wafer and the acolyte holding a little silver tray under it.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
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.
