Word
apostle
Phoneticsapos·tle
US/əˈpɑsəɫ/
UK/ɐpˈɒsəl/
Definitions
01Christian history
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Religion
n. one of the twelve original followers of Jesus who were sent to teach his message.
n. any of the twelve primary disciples chosen by Jesus to preach the Gospel.
“The Bible tells stories about the lives and travels of each apostle.”
“The iconography of the cathedral depicts each apostle with a specific symbol representing their individual martyrdom or mission.”
Usage
Often capitalized as 'Apostle' when referring to the specific biblical group.
02advocate of a cause
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a person who strongly supports and spreads a new idea or movement.
n. a pioneer or early advocate who promotes a particular cause, belief, or social movement.
“He was an early apostle of renewable energy long before it was popular.”
“As a dedicated apostle of free trade, the economist spent decades lobbying governments to reduce international tariffs.”
03Mormon official
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Religion Technical
n. a high-ranking leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
n. a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a high-level governing body in the LDS Church.
“The apostle traveled to different countries to speak at church conferences.”
“The newly sustained apostle addressed the congregation regarding the administrative challenges facing the global church.”
04legal appeal document
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Law Archaic · Technical
n. a formal letter or record sent from a lower court to a higher court for an appeal.
n. a dismissory letter or a summary record of a trial court sent to an appellate court.
“The lawyer prepared the apostle to be sent to the appeals court.”
“The judge granted the request for an apostle, allowing the case to proceed to the higher jurisdiction for review.”
Teaching tip
This legal sense is extremely rare in modern general English and is mostly found in historical legal texts.
Real-World Examples
“Leatham and Borhanian would become two of the most extreme apostles of Zizian ideas.” Etymology
From Middle English apostle, from Old French apostle, from Late Latin apostolus, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (apóstolos, “one sent forth, apostle”). Merged with Old English apostol, borrowing from the same Latin source.
See apostil.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/apostle