Other forms: apostles
An apostle is an early messenger of a faith, or a keen supporter. The twelve apostles, an apostle of free trade, apostles of reform.
The Greek means one sent forth, so an apostle is defined by being dispatched rather than by belief. The figurative use is common and means somebody who spreads a doctrine tirelessly.
1nounapostleAn early messenger of a faith, or a keen supporter.
“The apostles travelled across the Roman world spreading the new faith.”
apostle is a messenger.
a-POST-le → the POST
Twelve men leave one room on foot, each carrying the same message to a different city, like the post in the days before there was any post office.
hooks ontopost
Greek apostolos means one sent forth, from apo plus stellein, to send.
Proto-Indo-European
*stel-
Old English
apostol
Ancient Greek
ἀπόστολος — one sent forth, apostle
Latin
apostolus
Old French
apostle
Middle English
apostle
English, today
apostle
From Middle English apostle, from Old French apostle, from Latin apostolus, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (“one sent forth, apostle”). Merged with Old English apostol, borrowing from the same Latin source.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA