Synonyms for disciple

17 synonyms
2 meanings

noun

Most common

follower adherent myrmidon votary student scholar believer apostle

Synonyms by meaning

Noun

1. Follower

follower, adherent, supporter, minion, henchman, lackey, stooge, partisan, myrmidon, votary, sycophant

2. Student

student, scholar, pupil, learner

Other

apostle, believer

Definitions

n. 1
A person who learns from another, especially one who then teaches others.
n. 2
An active follower or adherent of someone, or some philosophy etc.

Related words

Word family: discipleship discipline

Forms

Plural: disciples → followers, adherents, supporters, minions…

Choose the right word

Disciple, Adherent, Disciples or Adherents?

The adherent depends more on his individual judgment, the disciple is more subject to command and instruction; thus we say the disciples rather than the adherents of Christ.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

follower Layla was a rule-follower and a good student.
adherent I'm not an adherent of Islam.
student More than one student studies French in our class.
scholar A great scholar is not necessarily a good teacher.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
disciple		rising
follower		steady
adherent		falling
myrmidon		steady
votary		steady
student		steady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

5 letters: pupil²
6 letters: minion², lackey², stooge¹, votary
7 letters: student², scholar², apostle³, learner²
8 letters: partisan³, believer³, follower³, henchman², adherent³, myrmidon³
9 letters: supporter³, sycophant

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (pupil² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: disciple
Italiano: discepolo
Español: discípulo
Deutsch: Jünger