Idolizer

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who regards someone or something with excessive admiration and treats them as an object of worship or idealization
2. A person who holds someone in great esteem, often idolizing them as a source of guidance and inspiration while expressing strong admiration
3. An individual who excessively reveres or adores another, often elevating them to a status of veneration and viewing them as a role model

Etymology: "Idolizer" is a straightforward formation: the verb "idolize" with the agent suffix "-er", which marks a person who performs an action. An idolizer is therefore someone who idolizes, that is, who treats a person or thing with excessive admiration or reverence. The root sits in "idol," which traces back through Old French and Latin to Greek "eidolon," meaning an image, phantom or likeness. Its original sense was a physical representation of a god, which is why "idolize" carries the older connotation of worshipping a graven image. The modern sense of adoring a celebrity or hero is a figurative extension of that religious meaning.

Synonyms: worshiper, adorer, fan, devotee, enthusiast

Antonyms: critic, detractor, opponent, disparager, hater