disciple

English

Etymology

From Middle English disciple, discipul, from Old English discipul (“disciple, scholar”), from Latin discipulus (“pupil, learner”). Later influenced or superseded in Middle English by Old French deciple.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪˈsaɪ.pəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪpəl
• Hyphenation: dis‧ci‧ple

Noun

disciple (plural disciples)

1. A person who learns from another, especially one who then teaches others.
2. An active follower or adherent of someone, or some philosophy etc.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Matthew 9:10:

     And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

   • 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 4, in A Cuckoo in the Nest:

     By some paradoxical evolution rancour and intolerance have been established in the vanguard of primitive Christianity. Mrs. Spoker, in common with many of the stricter disciples of righteousness, was as inclement in demeanour as she was cadaverous in aspect.

3. (Ireland) A wretched, miserable-looking man.

Synonyms

• student

Related terms

• discipleship
• disciplic
• discipline

Translations

See also

• apostle

Verb

disciple (third-person singular simple present disciples, present participle discipling, simple past and past participle discipled)

1. (religion, transitive) To convert (a person) into a disciple.
2. (religion, transitive) To train, educate, teach.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. , London: [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     fraile youth is oft to follie led, / Through false allurement of that pleasing baite, / That better were in vertues discipled […]

   1. (Christianity, certain denominations) To routinely counsel (one's peer or junior) one-on-one in their discipleship of Christ, as a fellow affirmed disciple.

Further reading

• “disciple”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “disciple”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French deciple, borrowed from Latin discipulus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /di.sipl/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

disciple m (plural disciples)

1. disciple

Further reading

• “disciple”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.