advocate
Advocate (noun) means a person who publicly supports or argues in favor of a cause, policy, or another person. Example: “She became an outspoken advocate for renewable energy.”
How to use advocate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo support or argue for something publicly (verb), or a person who does that, or a courtroom lawyer (noun).
As a verb, advocate is not usually followed by "for" in formal writing ("advocate change," not "advocate for change"), though "advocate for" is extremely common and accepted in everyday use.
Word forms
advocated past tense, advocates plural, advocates singular
Fill the gap
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She became an outspoken _____ for renewable energy.
Etymology
From Latin advocātus, "one called to help," related to advocāre, "to call for" — a calque of the Greek term behind English "paraclete."
Related words
Rhymes for advocate
See all rhymes for advocate →Frequently asked questions
What does “advocate” mean?
The word “advocate” means a person who publicly supports or argues in favor of a cause, policy, or another person. In plain terms, to support or argue for something publicly (verb), or a person who does that, or a courtroom lawyer (noun).
How do you pronounce “advocate”?
“Advocate” is pronounced AD-vuh-kuht (/ˈæd.və.kət/ in IPA).
How do you use “advocate” in a sentence?
Here is “advocate” used in a sentence: “She became an outspoken advocate for renewable energy.”
What part of speech is “advocate”?
Depending on how it is used, “advocate” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “advocate” come from?
The word “advocate” comes from Latin. From Latin advocātus, "one called to help," related to advocāre, "to call for" — a calque of the Greek term behind English "paraclete.".
Is “advocate” a common word?
“Advocate” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “advocate” have?
“Advocate” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who publicly supports or argues in favor of a cause, policy, or another person.
What is the difference between an 'advocate' and a 'lawyer'?
In everyday use, an 'advocate' is a person who publicly supports or argues in favour of a cause, policy, or another person. In legal use, especially in Scotland and some other countries, an 'advocate' is a specific kind of lawyer who represents clients in court, similar to a barrister.
How does the pronunciation of 'advocate' change between noun and verb?
The noun 'advocate', meaning a supporter or a courtroom lawyer, ends in a softer 'uht' sound. The verb 'advocate', meaning to argue in favour of something, ends in a fuller 'ayt' sound, as in 'advocate for change'.
What preposition goes with 'advocate'?
As a noun, 'advocate' is usually followed by 'of' or 'for', as in 'an advocate of reform' or 'an advocate for children'. Both patterns show what cause or person the advocate supports.
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