devout

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word devout. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word devout, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say devout in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word devout you have here. The definition of the word devout will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofdevout, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology

From Middle English devout, devot, from Old French devot (French dévot), from Latin dēvōtus, perfect passive participle of dēvōveō. Doublet of devote.

Pronunciation

Adjective

devout (comparative devouter or more devout, superlative devoutest or most devout)

  1. Devoted to religion or to religious feelings and duties; pious; extremely religious; godly.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Acts 10:2:
      a devout man, and one that feared God
    • a. 1729, John Rogers, The Difficulties of Obtaining Salvation:
      We must be constant and devout in the worship of our God.
    • 2002, Dru C. Gladney, “Ethnoreligious Resurgence in a Northwestern Sufi Community”, in Susan D. Blum, Lionel M. Jensen, editors, China Off Center: Mapping the Margins of the Middle Kingdom‎, Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 109:
      I first became aware of changing Hui-Han social dynamics in the village from a discussion with one of the Han villagers in Team 1. She explained: “Since 1979, we have had less and less social contact with the Hui in the other teams. There are no problems between us, but the Hui are more devout [qian-cheng] now and less willing to come to our homes and visit or borrow tools. We raise pigs in our yards and eat pork, so they are afraid it will influence their religion [yingxiang tamende jiaomen]."
    • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:devout.
  2. (archaic) Expressing devotion or piety.
    devout sighs; devout eyes; a devout posture
  3. Warmly devoted; hearty; sincere; earnest.
    devout wishes for one's welfare

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

devout (plural devouts)

  1. (obsolete) A devotee.
  2. (obsolete) A devotional composition, or part of a composition; devotion.

References

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old French devot, devout, from Latin dēvōtus (“vowed, promised”).

Adjective

devout

  1. devout
    • c. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue, lines 21–22:
      Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage
      To Caunterbury with ful devout corage,
      Ready to go on pilgrimage and start
      To Canterbury, full devout at heart,
  2. sacred, holy

Descendants

  • English: devout
  • Scots: devot, devote, devoit

References

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia