disciple
Americannoun
-
a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another; follower.
a disciple of Freud.
-
Religion.
-
one of the 12 personal followers of Christ.
-
one of the 70 followers sent forth by Christ. Luke 10:1.
-
any other professed follower of Christ in His lifetime.
-
-
any follower of Christ.
-
Disciple, a member of the Disciples of Christ.
verb (used with object)
-
Archaic. to convert into a disciple.
-
Obsolete. to teach; train.
noun
-
a follower of the doctrines of a teacher or a school of thought
-
one of the personal followers of Christ (including his 12 apostles) during his earthly life
Related Words
See pupil 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disciple
First recorded before 900; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin discipulus, equivalent to dis- dis- 1 + -cip(ere), combining form of capere “to take” + -ulus -ule; replacing Middle English deciple, from Anglo-French de(s)ciple; replacing Old English discipul, from Latin, as above
Explanation
A disciple is a follower or a fan of someone. You might consider yourself to be a disciple of your favorite yoga teacher. The noun disciple comes from the Latin word discipulus, which means "student, learner, or follower." One of the earliest places disciple showed up was in the Bible, where it means "a follower of Jesus," sometimes specifically one of the twelve Apostles. It's still used that way in religious speech and writing, but it can also describe a serious, dedicated follower or student of a teacher or leader.
Vocabulary lists containing disciple
Persepolis
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Poet X
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
He is a disciple of lean management techniques developed in Japan that focus on collaboration and continuous improvement.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
If that future comes to pass, then Luhrmann himself will be elevated as a key disciple.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026
In the meantime, Third Coast has been touring “Murmurs” featuring a Hussain disciple, Salar Nader, as soloist.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025
Ward considers himself a Boglehead, or a disciple of John Bogle, the Vanguard founder who preached holding index funds and seldom making changes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 8, 2025
In one story, Death tells a disciple about the soul: “Concealed in the heart of all beings is the Atman, the Spirit, the Self,” he says.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
