adherent
Americannoun
adjective
Related Words
See follower.
Other Word Forms
- adherently adverb
- nonadherent adjective
- preadherent adjective
- preadherently adverb
Etymology
Origin of adherent
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin adhērent-, from Latin adhaerent-, stem of adhaerēns “sticking to,” present participle of adhaerēre “to stick to”; equivalent to adhere + -ent
Explanation
Because an adherent is usually something or someone that sticks to something or someone else, it's logical that it can also mean a person who believes in and supports a certain philosophy or leader. An adherent to a cause can be called a disciple, one who believes and tries to get others to believe. It can also refer to a material that sticks to other things. While the first meaning comes from the 15th century, the reference to a sticky substance didn't emerge until the 16th. In all cases, the word comes from the Latin root haerēre "stick," connected to the prefix ad- "to," making the word mean "to stick to."
Vocabulary lists containing adherent
Things Fall Apart
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Between the World and Me
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The Islamic World and South Asia, Lessons 3–5
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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.
An adherent of Wahhabism, a conservative and fundamentalist interpretation of Sunni Islam, he hopes to rally a population exhausted by over a decade of conflict.
From Barron's • Jan. 14, 2026
"We saw more benefit with the adherent group compared with the semi-adherent group, indicating a potential dose-response relationship," Sethi said.
From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2024
According to the survey model, only 11% of respondents fell into the adherent category and 19% were “sympathizers.”
From Washington Times • Dec. 20, 2023
Neither can the “typical” patient being deemed adherent or nonadherent be accepted as the final version of truth; the inequities in care must be accounted for.
From Scientific American • Sep. 12, 2023
I watched him closely that night, and to me it seemed he was trying to live in both worlds, to be a loyal adherent to all creeds.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
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.
