Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

votary

play
noun vo·ta·ry \ˈvō-tə-rē\

Definition of votary

plural

votaries

  1. 1a :  devoteeb :  a devoted admirer

  2. 2a :  a devout or zealous worshipperb :  a staunch believer or advocate

  3. 3 archaic :  a sworn adherent

See votary defined for English-language learners

See votary defined for kids

From the M-W Editors

alt-59760690a61d7
Trending: Trump Tweets, We Define: 'Beleaguered'
alt-596f95fe451e7
'Drought' & 'Drouth' Take Us Back In Time
image386126722
Words That Come From the Dinner Table
emoji-the-quiz
The Emoji Quiz

Examples of votary in a Sentence

  1. a votary of the religious leader

Origin and Etymology of votary

Latin votum vow

votary Synonyms

Synonyms
acolyte, adherent, convert, disciple, epigone, liege man, partisan (also partizan), pupil, votarist, follower
Antonyms
coryphaeus, leader
Related Words
apostle, missionary, proselytizer, soldier; faithful, loyalist; advocate, backer, champion, supporter; protégé, scholar, student; ideologist, ideologue (also idealogue), sectarian; admirer, cultist, devotee, enthusiast, fan, idolater (or idolator), worshipper (or worshiper), zealot; apparatchik, camp follower, flunky (also flunkey or flunkie), hanger-on, henchman, lackey, lickspittle, minion, myrmidon, satellite, stooge, sycophant, toady, yes-man
Near Antonyms
apostate, defector, renegade, traitor, turncoat

VOTARY Defined for English Language Learners

votary

play
noun

Definition of votary for English Language Learners

  • : a devoted follower of or believer in a religion, a cause, etc.

Learn More about votary

  1. See words that rhyme with votary Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for votary

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up votary? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

wreak

play

to bring about or cause (something)

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. beleaguer 'Being subjected to constant or repeated trouble or harassment'

  2. scaramouch A new White House communications director

  3. non sequitur “It does not follow”

  4. admiral's mast A massive search ends with an 'admiral's mast'.

  5. calumny 'An untrue statement that is made to damage someone's reputation'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

votary

Test Your Vocabulary

The Emoji Quiz

  • emoji-the-quiz
  • What phase of the moon is this: 🌖 ?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Add Diction

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-596f95fe451e7
'Drought' & 'Drouth' Take Us Back In Time

A variant spelling with a long history

alt-59721dd897313
The 'Best' Way to Sign Off On An E-mail

Give them your best

image386126722
Words and Phrases That Come from the Dinner Table

Fill your plate with these surprising food words

ghost-being-disinvited-from-party
'Disinvite' or 'Uninvite'?

A disinvited guest is an uninvited problem

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

payday
How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

emoji-the-quiz
The Emoji Quiz

Think you’re an emoji 👓 expert? Let’s see 🤔

Take the quiz
image941935269
A Game of Thrones Word Quiz

In the Game of Thrones quiz, you learn some new vocabulary. (It’s quite safe, really. You will not die.)

Take the quiz
Spell It
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Take the quiz
Add Diction
Add Diction

Build a chain of words by adding one letter at a time.

Play the game
Examples: votary in a Sentence