disciple
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.one of the original followers of Jesus Christ, or a person who follows a religious leader.
n.a follower of Jesus Christ, especially one of the twelve apostles, or an adherent to any religious leader's teachings.
Simple“The Bible tells stories about the twelve disciples who traveled with Jesus.”
In context“The sermon focused on the devotion of the early disciples and their commitment to spreading the gospel despite significant persecution.”
UsageOften capitalized as 'Disciple' when referring specifically to the biblical figures.
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.someone who follows the ideas and teachings of a famous person or a specific way of thinking.
n.an active follower or adherent of a particular person, school of thought, or philosophy.
Simple“As a young architect, he was a devoted disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright.”
In context“Though he never met the philosopher in person, he remained a lifelong disciple of the school of Stoicism.”
Teacher's tipIn modern secular contexts, this word suggests a very high level of devotion, almost like a religious commitment.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to teach someone to follow a specific set of beliefs or a leader.
v.to train, educate, or convert someone into a follower of a specific doctrine or leader.
Simple“The organization aims to disciple new members in the traditions of the church.”
In context“The ministry's primary mission was to disciple young converts through a rigorous three-year program of study and service.”
UsageThis is a transitive verb and requires a direct object.
From Middle English disciple, discipul, from Old English discipul (“disciple, scholar”), from Latin discipulus (“pupil, learner”). Later influenced or superseded in Middle English by Old French deciple.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.