votary

English

Etymology

From Latin votus, past participle of vovere (“to vow, to devote”).

Pronunciation

Adjective

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈvəʊt(ə)ri/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈvoʊdəri/

Noun

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈvəʊtəri/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈvoʊdəri/

Adjective

votary (comparative more votary, superlative most votary)

1. Consecrated by a vow or promise; consequent on a vow; devoted; promised.
   • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Custom and Education”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC, page 232:

     And votary Reſolution is made Equipollent to Cuſtome

Translations

consecrated by a vow or promise

• Bulgarian: клетвен (kletven), свързан с клетва (svǎrzan s kletva)

Noun

votary (plural votaries)

1. A person, such as a monk or nun, who lives a religious life according to vows they have made.
2. A devotee of a particular religion or cult.
3. A devout or zealous worshipper.
4. (by extension) Someone who is devoted to a particular pursuit etc.

   Synonyms: enthusiast; see also Thesaurus:enthusiast

   • 1771, [Henry Mackenzie], The Man of Feeling, 2nd edition, London: Printed for T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, page 79:

     But it is not ſimply of the progreſs of luxury that we have to complain: did its votaries keep in their own ſphere of thoughtleſs diſſipation, we might deſpiſe them without emotion; but the frivolous purſuits of pleaſure are mingled with the moſt important concerns of the ſtate;

   • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter XXXI, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume I, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849, →OCLC, page 304:

     The room was commonly emptied after that, or only left in possession of a very few and persevering votaries of pleasure.

   • 1893, Henry James, “Collaboration”, in The Wheel of Time; Collaboration; Owen Wingrave, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers publishers, →OCLC, page 109:

     He is such a votary of the modern that he was inevitably interested in the girl of the future and had matched one reform with another, being ready to marry without a penny, as the clearest way of expressing his appreciation, this favourable specimen of the type.

   • 1920, B. G. Jefferis, J. L. Nichols, “Sexual Proprieties and Improprieties”, in Searchlights on Health‎^[1]:

     The indulgence of illicit pleasures, says Dr. S. Pancoast, sooner or later is sure to entail the most loathsome diseases on their votaries.

   • 1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 13]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], page 335:

     Gerty was dressed simply but with the instinctive taste of a votary of Dame Fashion for she felt that there was just a might that he might be out.

5. A loyal supporter or devoted admirer of a person or institution.

Translations

monk or nun

• Czech: mnich (cs), jeptiška (cs)
• German: Geweihter m
• Irish: dílseánach m, móideach m

devotee of a particular religion or cult

• Irish: dílseánach m, móideach m

devout or zealous worshipper

• Irish: dílseánach m, móideach m

enthusiast

• Czech: nadšenec (cs)
• Georgian: მომხრე (momxre), ქომაგი (komagi), მხარდამჭერი (mxardamč̣eri)
• German: Verherer m, Verhererin f
• Irish: díograiseoir m, dílseánach m
• Turkish: hayran (tr)

References

• “votary, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2021.

Anagrams

• travoy