worshipper

Everyday

1. (church) A person who worships, who prays to and praises God or a god, especially in a church, mosque, synagogue or temple. tree →
2. A person who loves and admires someone or something very much, almost as if it were holy, like a sun worshipper or a hero worshipper. tree →

In the lessons

Used in stories and lessons about religion to mean the people at a service: worshippers fill the church, kneel, sing and pray. In everyday talk it is used playfully for great fans: a sun worshipper loves lying in the sun. Phrases: fellow worshippers, regular worshipper, sun worshipper, hero worship.

Examples

• The worshippers stood up to sing the first hymn. tree →
• Hundreds of worshippers came to the cathedral at Christmas. tree →
• The mosque was full of worshippers on Friday. tree →
• Gran is a regular worshipper at St Mary's. tree →
• My aunt is a real sun worshipper and lies on the beach all day. tree →
• The worshippers bowed their heads as the priest prayed. tree →
• Fellow worshippers brought food to the family after the funeral. tree →
• The elder brother was a devout worshipper of Ganesa. tree →

Note

Countable: one worshipper, two worshippers. UK spelling doubles the p (worshipper); US often writes worshiper. The verb is worship (worships, worshipped, worshipping). Do not confuse worship (to praise God) with warship (a ship for war). Respectful word; it says nothing bad about the person.

In Jewish tradition

A person who serves a god. Here it means followers of the idol Baal, whom Jehu tricked and destroyed.

Interpretation. Tradition treats this as a story about stamping out idol worship in Israel, and the Torah forbids serving any god but the One God.

Examples

• And Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. (Prophets 2KI.10.21, JPS 1917) tree →
• And he said unto him that was over the vestry: 'Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal.' And he brought them forth vestments. (Prophets 2KI.10.22, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable: one worshipper, two worshippers. UK spelling doubles the p (worshipper); US often writes worshiper. The verb is worship (worships, worshipped, worshipping). Do not confuse worship (to praise God) with warship (a ship for war). Respectful word; it says nothing bad about the person.