Other forms: acolytes
An acolyte is an assistant at a religious service, or a devoted follower. The priest's acolyte, a young acolyte, surrounded by acolytes.
The church sense is a real office: an acolyte carries the candles and assists at the altar. The figurative sense is faintly contemptuous, since calling somebody's supporters acolytes says they follow without thinking.
1nounacolyteAn assistant at a religious service, or a devoted follower.
“The director arrived at the festival surrounded by a group of admiring acolytes.”
acolyte is a follower.
Greek akolouthos means a follower or attendant.
Ancient Greek
ἀκόλουθος — follower, attendant
Latin
acolythus
Old French
acolyt
Middle English
acolite
English, today
acolyte
From Middle English acolite, acolit, from Old French acolyt and Latin acolythus, from Ancient Greek ἀκόλουθος (“follower, attendant”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA