Idolist

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An individual who shows extreme admiration and devotion towards a particular person or entity
2. A person characterized by intense enthusiasm and support for someone they idolize, often in cultural or social contexts
3. Someone who has a strong admiration and reverence for another person or figure

Etymology: "Idolist" is a plain formation: the noun "idol" with the suffix "-ist," which denotes a person who practises, adheres to, or is devoted to something. Put together, the word names someone who gives an idol-like devotion to a person or thing. The base word itself has traveled a long way. "Idol" came into English through Old French from Latin "idolum," which in turn came from Greek "eidolon," meaning an image, phantom, or likeness. Its original sense was a physical image or representation of a god, and that religious meaning is still present in the word's core. The suffix "-ist" arrived from Greek "-istes" through Latin and French, and it has long been used to form nouns for people who follow a doctrine or practice an activity. Because "idolist" is built directly from these two parts, its meaning follows the sum of them: "idol" supplies the notion of worship or admiration, and "-ist" supplies the person who engages in it.