Etymologically
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advocate

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 07:59. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈæd.və.kət/, /ˈæd.və.keɪt/[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English avocat, borrowed from Old French avocat (“barrister, spokesman”),[2][3][4] from Latin advocātus (“one called to aid; a pleader”), the past participle of advocāre (“to call to one's aid”),[2][3][5] from ad- (“to”) and vocāre (“to call”), related to vox (“voice”) (see voice).[2][3] The spelling advocat, after Latin, largely replaced avocat after 1380.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

One whose profession is to plead cases in court, and one who pleads on behalf of another: 1340, in the Ayenbite of Inwyt.[2][6][3]

Semantic evolution

Christ as the intercessor for sinners is an advocate from 1382,[6] and a protector or patron of a church from 1387.[6] One who publicly supports a cause, as an advocate of reform, is from about 1735.[6] In Scotland and some other countries an advocate is a barrister.[7][8] The verb, to plead in favour of, is from 1599–1641,[9][2] the 1640s in Etymonline.[3] Old English glossed Latin advocatus with þingere.[3]

Timeline

  • 1340 – a lawyer pleading in court.[2][6]
  • 1382 – Christ as intercessor.[6]
  • 1599 – the verb.[9]
  • c. 1735 – a supporter of a cause.[6]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A person who publicly supports a cause or policy.
  2. A person who pleads on behalf of another; an intercessor.
  3. (law) A lawyer who argues cases in court; in Scotland, a barrister.

Verb

  1. To speak in favour of; to recommend publicly.

Word family

  • advocator
  • advocation
  • advocative
  • advocatory
  • nonadvocate
  • subadvocate
  • judge advocate
  • devil's advocate

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  8. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
  9. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster