supplicant

1 of 2

noun

sup·​pli·​cant ˈsə-pli-kənt 

: one who supplicates

supplicant

2 of 2

adjective

: suppliant

Synonyms

Noun

• petitioner
• pleader
• solicitor
• suitor
• suppliant

Adjective

• beseeching
• entreating
• imploring
• pleading
• prayerful
• soliciting
• suppliant
• supplicating
• supplicatory

Examples of supplicant in a Sentence

Noun

the new governor soon had to deal with a long line of supplicants asking for jobs and other political favors

Adjective

hated having to go before his boss like a supplicant beggar whenever he needed some time off to attend to personal matters

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The visitor, the stranger, the enemy, comes as a supplicant to the killer. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 22 Nov. 2024

The pitches, which last about 45 minutes, are edited to snappy 12- to 15-minute segments with music scored for suspense over tight shots of bug-eyed, sweaty supplicants. —Jordyn Holman, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2024

Adjective

For the first time in years, Xi appeared to have successfully positioned the United States as supplicant in the bilateral relationship. —Matt Pottinger, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2024

Speakers seemed alternately angry and supplicant, aware, at some level, their efforts probably won’t work. —Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 22 July 2021

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Medieval Latin supplicant-, supplicans "petitioner," noun derivative from Latin supplicant-, supplicans, present participle of supplicāre "to seek the goodwill (of a person wronged) with peace offerings, supplicate"

Adjective

borrowed from Latin supplicant-, supplicans, present participle of supplicāre "to seek the goodwill (of a person wronged) with peace offerings, supplicate"

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1577, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

supplicant

noun

sup·​pli·​cant

ˈsəp-li-kənt

: one who asks earnestly

supplicant adjective

supplicantly adverb