advocate

[ verb ad-vuh-keyt; noun ad-vuh-kit, -keyt ]
See synonyms for: advocateadvocatedadvocatesadvocating on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),ad·vo·cat·ed, ad·vo·cat·ing.
  1. to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly: He advocated higher salaries for teachers.

verb (used without object),ad·vo·cat·ed, ad·vo·cat·ing.
  1. to act as an advocate: a father who advocates for his disabled child.

noun
  1. a person who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person, cause, etc. (usually followed by of): an advocate of peace.

  2. a person who pleads for or in behalf of another; intercessor.

  1. a person who pleads the cause of another in a court of law.

Origin of advocate

1
First recorded in 1300–50; from Latin advocātus “legal counselor,” originally past participle of advocāre “to call to one's aid,” equivalent to ad- ad- + vocāre “to call” (akin to vōx voice); replacing Middle English avocat, from Middle French

Other words for advocate

Other words from advocate

  • ad·vo·ca·tive, adjective
  • ad·vo·ca·tor, noun
  • non·ad·vo·cate, noun
  • pre·ad·vo·cate, noun
  • pre·ad·vo·cate, verb (used with object), pre·ad·vo·cat·ed, pre·ad·vo·cat·ing.
  • re·ad·vo·cate, verb (used with object), re·ad·vo·cat·ed, re·ad·vo·cat·ing.
  • sub·ad·vo·cate, noun
  • un·ad·vo·cat·ed, adjective
  • well-ad·vo·cat·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use advocate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for advocate

advocate

verb(ˈædvəˌkeɪt)
  1. (tr; may take a clause as object) to support or recommend publicly; plead for or speak in favour of

noun(ˈædvəkɪt, -ˌkeɪt)
  1. a person who upholds or defends a cause; supporter

  2. a person who intercedes on behalf of another

  1. a person who pleads his client's cause in a court of law: See also barrister, solicitor, counsellor

  2. Scots law the usual word for barrister

Origin of advocate

1
C14: via Old French from Latin advocātus legal witness, advocate, from advocāre to call as witness, from vocāre to call

Derived forms of advocate

  • advocatory, adjective

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