advocate

The story

1. Latin · derived fromadvocātus“an advocate”
2. Old French · derived fromadvocat
3. Middle English · inherited fromadvocat
4. English todayadvocate

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).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. Someone whose job is to speak for someone's case in a court of law; a counsel.
• from 14th c. Anyone who argues the case of another; an intercessor.
• from 18th c. A person who speaks in support of something, or someone; proponent