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advocate

[verb ad-vuh-keyt; noun ad-vuh-kit, -keyt]
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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.
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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.
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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.
  3. a person who pleads the cause of another in a court of law.
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Origin of advocate

1300–50; < Latin advocātus legal counselor (orig. past participle of advocāre to call to one's aid), equivalent to ad- ad- + voc- call (akin to vōx voice) + -ātus -ate1; replacing Middle English avocat < Middle French
Related formsad·vo·ca·tive, adjectivead·vo·ca·tor, nounnon·ad·vo·cate, nounpre·ad·vo·cate, nounpre·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, nounun·ad·vo·cat·ed, adjectivewell-ad·vo·cat·ed, adjective

Synonyms

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3. champion, proponent, backer. 5. lawyer, attorney, counselor, counsel; barrister; solicitor.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

apostleproponentmissionaryadvocatoractivist
British Dictionary definitions for advocator

advocate

verb (ˈædvəˌkeɪt)
  1. (tr; may take a clause as object) to support or recommend publicly; plead for or speak in favour of
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noun (ˈædvəkɪt, -ˌkeɪt)
  1. a person who upholds or defends a cause; supporter
  2. a person who intercedes on behalf of another
  3. a person who pleads his client's cause in a court of lawSee also barrister, solicitor, counsellor
  4. Scots law the usual word for barrister
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Derived Formsadvocatory, adjective

Word Origin

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

Word Origin and History for advocator

advocate

v.

1640s, from advocate (n.). Related: Advocated; advocating; advocation.

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advocate

n.

mid-14c., "one whose profession is to plead cases in a court of justice," a technical term from Roman law, from Old French avocat "barrister, advocate, spokesman," from Latin advocatus "one called to aid; a pleader, advocate," noun use of past participle of advocare "to call" (as witness or advisor) from ad- "to" (see ad-) + vocare "to call," related to vocem (see voice (n.)). Also in Middle English as "one who intercedes for another," and "protector, champion, patron." Feminine forms advocatess, advocatrice were in use in 15c.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper