votary
Definitions
A person bound by religious vows; a monk, nun, or devoted worshipper.
立愿献身宗教者；修士；虔诚的信徒
A devoted follower, admirer, or enthusiast of a cause, activity, or idea.
热心的追随者；拥趸；热衷者
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedvot (vow) + -ary ('one connected with') = 'one bound by a vow.' Originally a person pledged to religious life by sacred vows — a monk or nun. By extension, anyone so passionately devoted to a cause that they seem to have taken vows for it.
Root vot still carries 4 more wordsWhy It Means This
votary is the word in this family that stays nearest the altar — it preserves the root's original religious force most directly. Today it is rare and literary, used mostly in the figurative sense 'a votary of art / liberty / science,' meaning a devotee so committed they seem sworn to it. If you meet it, picture a monk who has taken lifelong vows.
Common Collocations
- 1.a votary of……的虔信者/拥趸
- 2.devout votary虔诚的立愿者
- 3.lifelong votary终身的拥趸
Example Sentences
- 1.
The old monastery still housed a handful of devout votaries.
- 2.
As a lifelong votary of jazz, he attended every concert in town.
- 3.
She wrote of the early votaries of liberty who risked everything.