Avocat

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A professional who represents or advises clients in legal matters ; the edible fruit of the avocado tree, known for its creamy texture and green flesh
2. An individual qualified to act for others in court or legal affairs ; a fruit native to Central America, used in cooking for its rich, buttery flavor
3. Someone trained to argue and support clients' interests before courts or legal bodies ; a fruit with smooth, soft green pulp, often eaten raw or used in salads

Etymology: Latin "advocatus" meant "one called to one's aid," built from "ad" ("to") and "vocare" ("to call"). A Roman advocate was summoned to stand beside a litigant and speak for them. The word passed into Old French as "avocat" and then into Middle English. English also later took "advocate" from Latin directly, so the two words are doublets, one shaped by centuries of French use and the other closer to the Latin. The fruit is a separate story. The avocado's name comes from the Nahuatl "ahuacatl," which reached Spanish as "aguacate." French speakers probably reshaped that into "avocat," likely by association with the legal term, so in French the fruit and the lawyer share a spelling. English took the fruit under its own name, "avocado," so the coincidence stays mostly within French.

Synonyms: disabled, invalid, lawyer