Admirer

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ədˈmaɪ.ɹə/

Definitions

1. A person who regards someone or something with respect, affection, or approval
2. An individual who has a strong appreciation or fondness for another, often valuing their skills or characteristics
3. A person who holds feelings of admiration or esteem toward someone else

Etymology: The English suffix "-er" is one of the oldest and most productive tools in the language, and "admirer" is a plain example of it at work: the verb "admire" with that ending attached to name the person doing the admiring. The "-er" comes down through Middle English and Old English from a Latin suffix "-arius", which marked a person connected with something, and it passed through Old French "-ier" on the way. "Admire" itself is an older borrowing from Latin "admirari", meaning "to wonder at", so the word is built from a verb about being struck with wonder plus a suffix that turns that feeling into a person.

Synonyms: fan, supporter, devotee, enthusiast, follower

Antonyms: critic, detractor