ENGLISH
REFERENCE

advocate

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈædvəˌkeɪt// ad·vo·cate Academic

n. someone who publicly supports a particular policy, group, or way of doing things. You can also use this word for a lawyer who speaks for someone in a court of law.

n. a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy; also, a legal professional who pleads on behalf of another in a court of law.


SIMPLE

She is a strong advocate for better public transport.

CONTEXTUAL

As a lifelong advocate for environmental protection, he spent years lobbying the government to reduce carbon emissions.

COMPLEX

The defense advocate argued that the circumstantial evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English advocat, advoket, from Old French advocat, from Latin advocātus (“an advocate”), from the substantivization of the perfect passive participle of advocāre (“to call for”) (see -ate (noun-forming suffix)), from a calque of Ancient Greek παράκλητος (paráklētos) (whence English paraclete). Doublet of advoke, avocat, avouch, and avow. The verb derives from the noun on the basis of -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'for' when referring to a supporter of a cause.

Pitfall

an advocate of the environmentan advocate for the environmentWhile 'of' is sometimes used, 'advocate for' is the standard collocation when expressing active support for a cause or group.

Idioms2 entries

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