Other forms: advocated, advocates, advocating
To advocate is to argue publicly in favour of a cause. Advocate reform, long advocated, advocate for change.
The verb takes a direct object in careful British use — advocate reform, not advocate for reform — though the for construction is now common and is standard in America. As a noun, in Scotland an advocate is a barrister. The Latin means called to help.
1verbadvocateTo argue publicly in favour of a cause.
“The group advocates cheaper public transport for everyone.”
2nounclientSomebody who argues for a cause or a client.
“She is a passionate advocate for children's rights.”
advocate is an arguing for.
Also accepted in games: champion
Latin advocatus means one called to help, from ad, to, plus vocare, to call. Voice and vocation are relatives.
Proto-Indo-European
*wekʷ-
Latin
advocātus — an advocate
Old French
advocat
Middle English
advocat
English, today
advocate
Built from
From Middle English advocat, advoket, from Old French advocat, from Latin advocātus (“an advocate”), from the substantivization of the perfect passive participle of advoco (“to call for”) (see -ate), from a calque of Ancient Greek παράκλητος (whence English paraclete). a doublet of advoke and avocat and avouch and avow. The verb derives from the noun on the basis of -ate.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA