supplicant

1 of 2

noun

sup·​pli·​cant ˈsə-pli-kənt 

: one who supplicates

supplicant

2 of 2

adjective

: suppliant

Synonyms of supplicant

Noun

• suppliant
• beggar
• solicitor
• petitioner
• requester
• pleader

Adjective

• prayerful
• pleading

Examples of supplicant in a Sentence

Noun

the new governor soon had to deal with a long line of supplicants asking for jobs and other political favors

Adjective

hated having to go before his boss like a supplicant beggar whenever he needed some time off to attend to personal matters

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Finally, Berkshire will always be managed in a manner that will make its existence an asset to the United States and eschew activities that would lead it to become a supplicant. —Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025

Now Zelensky arrives less as a supplicant and more like a friend and partner, while Russian President Vladimir Putin stews in the Kremlin, frozen—for the moment—from the diplomatic conversations. —Tom Nagorski, Time, 16 Oct. 2025

Adjective

The prayer quickly ends, and another supplicant hands over his passport. —Diaa Hadid, NPR, 19 May 2025

Many officers presumed that the only way to advance up the ranks, or avoid a hazing, or even keep their jobs, was to be supplicant to the brass. —Marc J. Dunkelman, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Medieval Latin supplicant-, supplicans "petitioner," noun derivative from Latin supplicant-, supplicans, present participle of supplicāre "to seek the goodwill (of a person wronged) with peace offerings, supplicate"

Adjective

borrowed from Latin supplicant-, supplicans, present participle of supplicāre "to seek the goodwill (of a person wronged) with peace offerings, supplicate"

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1577, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

supplicant

noun

sup·​pli·​cant

ˈsəp-li-kənt

: one who asks earnestly

supplicant adjective

supplicantly adverb