devout

adjective

de·​vout di-ˈvau̇t 

1

: committed or devoted to religion or to religious duties or exercises

a devout Catholic

2

: expressing piety or religious fervor : expressing devotion

a devout attitude

3

a

: devoted to a pursuit, belief, or mode of behavior : serious, earnest

a devout baseball fan

born a devout coward

—G. B. Shaw

b

: warmly sincere

a devout wish for peace

devoutly adverb

devoutness noun

Synonyms

• constant
• dedicated
• devoted
• down-the-line
• faithful
• fast
• good
• loyal
• pious
• staunch
• stanch
• steadfast
• steady
• true
• true-blue

Examples of devout in a Sentence

It is his devout wish to help people in need.

devout Red Sox fans never lost faith during the long World Series drought

Recent Examples on the Web

For another devout, traditional Catholic slice, June is a time to remember the Sacred Heart. —Lisa Lerer, New York Times, 11 June 2024

Advertisement But Novarro, raised in a devout Catholic family and at times deeply ashamed of his sexuality, declined to submit to the worst excesses of studio publicists or the Hollywood press. —Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024

His father was an Arrowhead Water delivery driver, and his mother was an L.A. sheriff and a devout Christian. —Lawrence Burney, Vulture, 5 June 2024

The artist's homosexuality, for instance, is largely overlooked in favour of his devout Catholicism in old age. —The Week Uk, theweek, 17 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin devotus, from Latin, past participle of devovēre — see devote

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

devout

adjective

de·​vout di-ˈvau̇t 

1

: devoted to religion or to religious duties or exercises

2

: expressing devotion

a devout attitude

3

a

: devoted to an activity, belief, or type of behavior

a devout baseball fan

b

: earnest entry 2 sense 1, sincere

gave them devout thanks

devoutly adverb

devoutness noun