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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

disciple en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /dɪˈsaɪ.pəl/
  • (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English disciple, discipul, from Old English discipul (“disciple, scholar”), from Latin discipulus (“pupil, learner”). Later influenced or superseded in Middle English by Old French deciple.

Meanings

  1. A person who learns from another, especially one who then teaches others.
  2. An active follower or adherent of someone, or some philosophy etc.
    • And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 9:10:
    • By some paradoxical evolution rancour and intolerance have been established in the vanguard of primitive Christianity. Mrs. Spoker, in common with many of the stricter disciples of righteousness, was as inclement in demeanour as she was cadaverous in aspect. 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 4, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
  3. (Ireland) A wretched, miserable-looking man.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
disciples Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

discipless · condisciple · disciplelike

Descendants

disaipel

Relateds

discipleship · discipline · disciplic · apostle

Synonyms

student

Translations (101)

de Jünger (person who learns from another) · ru после́дователь (person who learns from another) · pl adept (person who learns from another) · eu dizipulu (active follower or adherent) · fi oppilas (person who learns from another) · ja 信奉者 (active follower or adherent) · ja 門徒 (active follower or adherent) · hi विद्यार्थी (person who learns from another) · pdt Jinja (active follower or adherent) · grc μαθητής (person who learns from another) · de Jünger (active follower or adherent) · id murid (person who learns from another) · ru после́дователь (active follower or adherent) · cs stoupenec (active follower or adherent) · vo hitidäb (person who learns from another) · la discens (person who learns from another) · af dissipel (person who learns from another) · dsb wuknik (active follower or adherent) · hi अनुयायी (active follower or adherent) · cmn 追隨者 /追随者 (active follower or adherent) · dsb wuknica (person who learns from another) · ca deixeble (person who learns from another) · nrf discipl'ye (active follower or adherent) · cmn 門徒 /门徒 (active follower or adherent) · ang ġingra (person who learns from another) · de Jüngerin (active follower or adherent) · uk учени́ця (active follower or adherent) · pl uczeń (person who learns from another) · cmn 門徒 /门徒 (person who learns from another) · ga deisceabal (active follower or adherent) · sga deiscipul (active follower or adherent) · cs následovník (person who learns from another) · vo tidäb (person who learns from another) · ca deixeble (active follower or adherent) · dsb wuknica (active follower or adherent) · hi शिष्य (person who learns from another) · ru апо́стол (active follower or adherent) · es discípulo (person who learns from another) · nl leerling (active follower or adherent) · xag 𐔰𐕐𐔰𐕙𐕄𐔴𐕜 (active follower or adherent) · hy աշակերտ (person who learns from another) · ang ġingra (active follower or adherent) · bg учени́к (person who learns from another) · cs učedník (active follower or adherent) · lo ສາວົກ (active follower or adherent) · sq dishipujë (person who learns from another) · ko 문도 (active follower or adherent) · ja 弟子 (person who learns from another) · pl uczennica (person who learns from another) · kl ajoqersugaq (person who learns from another) · ga dalta (person who learns from another) · ko 문도 (person who learns from another) · ja 門徒 (person who learns from another) · cmn 弟子 (person who learns from another) · osx jungaro (person who learns from another) · shn တပႄး (active follower or adherent) · pl adeptka (person who learns from another) · nrf discipl'ye (person who learns from another) · zdj mna-shioni (active follower or adherent) · uk у́чень (active follower or adherent) · fr disciple (active follower or adherent) · pt discípulo (person who learns from another) · nl discipel (person who learns from another) · af dissipel (active follower or adherent) · zlw-ocs discipul (person who learns from another) · eo disĉiplo (person who learns from another) · es discípulo (active follower or adherent) · de Jüngerin (person who learns from another) · got 𐍃𐌹𐍀𐍉𐌽𐌴𐌹𐍃 (active follower or adherent) · ko 제자 (person who learns from another) · gd deisciobal (person who learns from another) · la discipulus (person who learns from another) · vo jitidäb (person who learns from another) · gl discípulo (active follower or adherent) · fr disciple (person who learns from another) · bg после́довател (active follower or adherent) · cy disgybl (person who learns from another) · dsb wuknik (person who learns from another) · got 𐍃𐌹𐍀𐍉𐌽𐌴𐌹𐍃 (person who learns from another) · sw mwanafunzi (active follower or adherent) · fi seuraaja (active follower or adherent) · fa مرید (active follower or adherent) · ru учени́к (person who learns from another) · ru сторо́нник (person who learns from another) · fa شاگرد (person who learns from another) · pt discípulo (active follower or adherent) · xag 𐔰𐕐𐔰𐕙𐕄𐔴𐕜 (person who learns from another) · hi छात्र (person who learns from another) · hi विद्यार्थिनी (person who learns from another) · gd deisciobal (active follower or adherent) · tl disipulo (person who learns from another) · cs žák (person who learns from another) · cy disgybles (person who learns from another) · hu követő (active follower or adherent) · th สาวก (active follower or adherent) · hu tanítvány (person who learns from another) · la discipulus (active follower or adherent) · hi शिष्या (person who learns from another) · gl discípulo (person who learns from another) · ru сторо́нник (active follower or adherent) · hi छात्रा (person who learns from another)

disciple en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /dɪˈsaɪ.pəl/
  • (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English disciple, discipul, from Old English discipul (“disciple, scholar”), from Latin discipulus (“pupil, learner”). Later influenced or superseded in Middle English by Old French deciple.

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To convert (a person) into a disciple.
  2. (transitive) To train, educate, teach.
    • fraile youth is oft to follie led, / Through false allurement of that pleasing baite, / That better were in vertues discipled […] 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
  3. (qualifier:certain denominations, transitive) To train, educate, teach. ▸ To routinely counsel (one's peer or junior) one-on-one in their discipleship of Christ, as a fellow affirmed disciple.
    • Most recently, messengers to the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting passed the resolution On Restoring Moral Clarity through God’s Design for Gender, Marriage, and the Family, which resolves among many beliefs that “we encourage churches to disciple their members in a biblical view of marriage, sexuality, parenting, and the sanctity of life.” 2026 February 18, Diana Chandler, “Church of England abandons pursuit of spiritual blessings for same-sex couples”, in mbcpathway.com:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
discipled Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
discipled Tense=Past lexicographic
disciples Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
discipling Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Deriveds

discipler