paraclete

P3A1R1A1C3L1E1T1E1
/ˈpæɹəkliːt/

noun

An advocate or helper.

Similar
The Comforterothers at Holy Spirit
OriginOld French paraclit ← Late Latin paraclētus ← Ancient Greek παράκλητος →
UncommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

paraclete1

nounparaclete (plural paracletes)

plural paracletes

  1. An advocate or helper.

    He passed a block of bright posters. One of them extolled domestic gas: a smiling toy paraclete called Mr Therm presided over a sort of warm Holy Family.

    1963, Anthony Burgess, Inside Mr Enderby
  2. Alternative letter-case form of Paraclete, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost.

Paraclete2

proper noun
  1. ChristianityThe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful.

    Apples of ashes, golden bright; / Waters of bitterness, how sweet! / O banquet of a foul delight, / Prepared by thee, dark Paraclete!

    1893, Lionel Johnson, The Dark Angel, lines 33–36
    1 more example

    The matter of a Paraclete’s coming, the comforter, the dove; the tongues of flame, the gift of tongues: Pentecost. Third Person of the Trinity.

    1963, Thomas Pynchon, V.

    Synonyms: The Comforter, others at Holy Spirit

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounThe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful.

Similar
The Comforterothers at Holy Spirit
Also see
holy spirit

Origin

paraclete · noun

See Paraclete.

Full word history & related roots →

Paraclete · proper noun

  1. Ancient Greekπαράκλητος“one called to help, helper; comforter; protector, defender; (legal) advocate”
  2. Late Latinparaclētus
  3. Old Frenchparaclit
  4. EnglishParaclete

From Old French paraclit, from Late Latin paraclētus, from Ancient Greek παράκλητος (paráklētos, “one called to help, helper; comforter; protector, defender; (legal) advocate”), from παρά (pará, “beside”) + κλητός (klētós, “called, invited [one]”). The Greek term is used four times in the Gospel of John as an epithet of the Holy Spirit.

More words from Old French, Late Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek παράκλητος, παράκλητος
  • παράκλητος (paráklētos)advocate
  • παράκλητος (paráklētos)the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Bulgarian закрилник, Свети Дух
  • закрилник (zakrilnik)advocate
  • Свети Дух (Sveti Duh)the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Chinese Mandarin 保惠師 /保惠师, 師保 /师保
  • 保惠師 /保惠师 (bǎohuìshī)the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
  • 師保 /师保 (shībǎo)the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Dutch parakleet, Parakleet
  • parakleetadvocate
  • Parakleetthe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Esperanto parakleto
  • parakletoadvocate
Finnish Parakletos
  • Parakletosthe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
French paraclet, Paraclet
  • paracletadvocate
  • Paracletthe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
German Paraklet, Paraklet
  • Parakletadvocate
  • Parakletthe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Greek παράκλητος, Παράκλητος
  • παράκλητος (paráklitos)advocate
  • Παράκλητος (Paráklitos)the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Hebrew פְּרַקְלִיט
  • פְּרַקְלִיט (p'raqlít)advocate
Italian Paraclito
  • Paraclitothe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Latin paracletus, paraclētus
  • paracletusadvocate
  • paraclētusthe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Persian فارقلیط
  • فارقلیطadvocate
Polish paraklet, Paraklet
  • parakletadvocate
  • Parakletthe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Portuguese paráclito, paracleto
  • paráclitoadvocate
  • paracletoadvocate
  • Paráclitothe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Russian паракле́т, Паракле́т
  • паракле́т (paraklét)advocate
  • Паракле́т (Paraklét)the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
  • Паракли́т (Paraklít)the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Spanish paráclito, Paráclito
  • paráclitoadvocate
  • Paráclitothe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
  • Paracletothe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Swedish paraklet, Paraklet
  • parakletadvocate
  • Parakletthe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Tagalog Paraklito
  • Paraklitothe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Turkish paraklit
  • paraklitadvocate
Zulu Isiqinisekiso
  • Isiqinisekisothe Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, especially in its role as comforter of the faithful
Cite this entry
APA

paraclete. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paraclete

MLA

“paraclete.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paraclete. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “paraclete,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paraclete.

Source: paraclete on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.