Etymology
Advertisement

acolyte (n.)

early 14c., "inferior officer in the church," from Old French acolite or directly from Medieval Latin acolytus (Late Latin acoluthus), from Greek akolouthos "following, attending on," as a noun, "a follower, attendant," literally "having one way," from a- "together with," copulative prefix (see a- (3)), + keleuthos "a way, road, path, course, journey," which is of unknown etymology. The word was in late Old English as acolitus, a Latin form; in early modern English a corrected form acolythe was used.

Origin and meaning of acolyte

updated on October 13, 2021

Advertisement
Advertisement