devout
UK[dɪˈvaʊt]US[dɪˈvaʊt]
adj
Having or showing deep religious feeling or commitment.
adj
Totally committed to a cause or belief.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
vou
de
completely
vou
vow, promise
Etymology
The word 'devout' originates from the Old French 'devot', meaning pious or devoted, which itself came from the Latin 'dēvōtus', the past participle of 'dēvovēre'. This Latin verb is a compound of the intensive prefix 'dē-' (completely) and 'vovēre' (to vow). Thus, the literal sense is "having completely vowed oneself" or "fully dedicated by a solemn promise". This concrete notion of being bound by a vow evolved into the modern abstract meanings of deep religious piety or earnest commitment to any belief or cause.
Analysis
Structure: de (completely) + vou (vow, promise)
- de: A Latin prefix meaning "completely, thoroughly, down from".
- vou: A substring representing the core of the word, derived from the Latin verb 'vovēre', meaning "to vow, to promise".
Examples
She was a devout Catholic who attended mass every day.
He is a devout believer in the power of education to change lives.
The museum attracts devout followers of modern art from around the world.