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devotee

American  
[dev-uh-tee, -tey] / ˌdɛv əˈti, -ˈteɪ /

noun

  1. a person who is greatly devoted to something.

  2. a person who is extremely devoted to a religion; a follower.

  3. an enthusiastic follower or fan.

    He's a devotee of jazz.


devotee British  
/ ˌdɛvəˈtiː /

noun

  1. a person ardently enthusiastic about or devoted to something, such as a sport or pastime

  2. a zealous follower of a religion

"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

Synonym Usage

See fanatic.

Etymology

Origin of devotee

First recorded in 1635–45; devote + -ee

Explanation

Devotee is a fancy word for "fan." Some people are superfans of Katy Perry. Others save their love and adoration for Mozart. Either way, they are huge devotees of the musicians they love. People are called devotees because they're particularly devoted to something. Be it hot yoga, fluffy cats or chocolate cake, a devotee is an ardent follower. In the traditional sense this word was reserved for the extremely devout, who were devoted to their religion. But these days you can be a devotee of just about anything.

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Vocabulary lists containing devotee

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

No one there tried to make me a “Mario Kart” devotee.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 10, 2026

And that is precisely why I, a longtime devotee of the city, found myself at the Luxor for a three-day stint in October.

From Slate Nov. 18, 2025

At the older end of the spectrum, longtime Oasis devotee Jeff Zoleta brought his 78-year-old mother Nila, who became a fan through her sons’ love of the band.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 21, 2025

Melanie is a loyal devotee, using one chicken to anchor several nights of easy, low-cook meals: sandwiches, salads, grain bowls, quesadillas.

From Salon Jul. 21, 2025

And each devotee, as he or she walked in, carried a special program about as thick as a city phone book.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

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