camp follower

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noun

a civilian not officially connected with a military unit, especially a prostitute, who follows or settles near an army camp.

a person who sympathizes with or espouses the aims of a group without belonging to it.

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Origin of camp follower

First recorded in 1800–10

Words nearby camp follower

campesino, campestral, campfire, Camp Fire Boy, Camp Fire Girl, camp follower, campground, camphene, camphire, camphol, camphor

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use camp follower in a sentence

Pitchfork called him a “a rap-obsessed misfit from a summer camp who freestyles poorly” who is “ridiculous without knowing it.”
The Cult of Yung Lean: ‘I’m Building An Anarchistic Society From the Ground Up’|Marlow Stern|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Within a concentration camp, would someone make a joke about the number, the tattooed number?
Daphne Merkin on Lena Dunham, Book Criticism, and Self-Examination|Mindy Farabee|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For now, Sabrine continues her daily routine of visits to the protest camp, to political leaders and taking care of the twins.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda|Ruth Michaelson|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the summer of 2014, they both were sentenced to 4-1/2 years in a labor camp.
Behind Bars for the Holidays: 11 Political Prisoners We Want to See Free In 2015|Movements.Org|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The prison camp island nation known as Cuba erupted in celebration.
Obama’s One Hand Clap With Castro|Doug McIntyre|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"A camp-fire would hardly flash and die out like that, Sarge," he answered thoughtfully.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
In the most perfect stillness, we arrived within two hundred paces of the enemy's camp.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
The camp grew still, except for the rough and ready cook pottering about the fire, boiling buffalo-meat and mixing biscuit-dough.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
Meanwhile, he had been selected as aide-de-camp by General d'Ure de Molans.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
Thus the whole State became one vast armed camp, nearly forty thousand men on a side, arrayed against each other.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn

British Dictionary definitions for camp follower

camp follower

noun

any civilian, esp a prostitute, who unofficially provides services to military personnel

a nonmember who is sympathetic to a particular group, theory, etc

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with camp follower

camp follower

A civilian who follows or settles near a military camp, especially a prostitute who does so. For example, The recruits were told not to associate with camp followers. [Early 1800s]

A person who sympathizes with a cause or group but does not join it. For example, She's only a camp follower so we can't count on her for a contribution.

camp follower

Origin of camp follower

Words nearby camp follower

Words related to camp follower

How to use camp follower in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for camp follower

Other Idioms and Phrases with camp follower