camp follower

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.

camp follower

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of camp follower¹

First recorded in 1800–10

Idioms and Phrases

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 .

Example Sentences

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

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That reads as clear evidence that they wanted to establish accountability for those who instigated and led the insurrection, rather than watching Trump's camp followers take the fall for doing his bidding.

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

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Graham’s antic hypocrisy seems confounding to some who previously admired him when he was a camp follower of McCain’s anti-Putin foreign policy.

Read more on The Guardian

Through its allies, enforcers, sycophants, servants and camp followers, the Trump regime shows this to be true almost every day.

Read more on Salon