camp follower

American  

noun

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

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

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camp follower British  

noun

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

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

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camp follower Idioms  

1. 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]

2. 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 .

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Etymology

Origin of camp follower

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

While some wives were known as “camp followers,” performing basic domestic duties, Anna fought on the battlefield.

From The Wall Street Journal

Among the advantages that billionaires receive due to their wealth is sedulous defenses by journalists and other camp followers.

From Los Angeles Times

Instead, Trump gave the party, along with its voters and camp follower permission to be their true, ugly, dangerous, anti-democratic, white supremacist selves.

From Salon

The other is of scavengers and camp followers that live off our garbage and feed on our corpses in the shadow of war.

From New York Times

Though often derisively dismissed as “camp followers,” they provided crucial support.

From Washington Post