votary

noun

vo·​ta·​ry ˈvō-tə-rē How to pronounce votary (audio)
plural votaries
1
a
b
: a devoted admirer
2
a
: a devout or zealous worshipper
b
: a staunch believer or advocate
3
archaic : a sworn adherent

Examples of votary in a Sentence

a votary of the religious leader
Recent Examples on the Web But the fate of the votary is to require and receive a constant renewal of faith. Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023 Many remember the Cultural Revolution as a time of Red Guard excess—of the people terrorizing the votaries of the party. Mary Gallagher, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2023 The Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker has long been a loud votary of progress. Samuel Moyn, The New Republic, 19 Mar. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'votary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin votum vow

First Known Use

1543, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of votary was in 1543

Dictionary Entries Near votary

Cite this Entry

“Votary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/votary. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

votary

noun
vo·​ta·​ry ˈvōt-ə-rē How to pronounce votary (audio)
plural votaries
: a devoted follower
especially : a devout or eager worshipper
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