Advocatio

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A legal term referring to the act of appealing for support or actively recommending a particular course of action
2. The practice of promoting or supporting a cause or individual within a legal context
3. An important legal principle involving the recommendation or advocacy of specific actions or policies to influence outcomes

Etymology: Medieval English landowners could hold the right to choose a parish priest, a power called an "advowson." The name comes from Old French "avoeson," which descends from Latin "advocatio." In medieval Latin, that word meant patronage or protection, the authority of a patron who defended a church and nominated its clergy. The legal sense has little to do with recommending policies. Latin "advocatio" is built from "ad," meaning "to," and "vocare," meaning "to call," so its root idea is a calling to one's aid. The Roman "advocatus" was someone summoned to stand beside a party in court, which is where the sense of pleading for another came from. In English, "advocation" has been used for pleading or intercession, but it is rare and largely obsolete. The modern meaning in your definition, an established legal principle about advocating policies, is not a recognized legal term that I can confirm.

Synonyms: advocacy, defense, representation, pleading, intercession

Antonyms: neglect, abandonment, opposition