accolito
The English word "acolyte" is translated into Italian as accolito.
The term refers to an assistant, particularly within a religious context where it describes a person who assists a priest at the altar during a church ceremony.
Meaning: in general: assistant (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
accolito is a formal term used in religious or highly literary contexts. In ecclesiastical settings, the formal term ministrante may also be used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun is accolito, while the feminine form is accolita.
Did you know?
- In a non-religious context, calling someone an accolito in Italian implies a level of devotion or blind loyalty that goes beyond a simple 'assistant'.
- Because accolito is so heavily tied to the altar, using it to describe a secular assistant in a business setting would be seen as highly ironic or even sarcastic.
- The Greek root of accolito is akólouthos, which literally means 'one who follows' or 'companion'.
Examples in context
- Dov'è il chierichetto?Where is the acolyte?
- Ogni accolito deve indossare la veste bianca.Every acolyte must wear the white robe.
- Il giovane accolito ha assistito il sacerdote.The young acolyte assisted the priest.
Example conversation
Alessandro and Giulia are discussing a church service.
- AlessandroChi sarà l'accolito domani mattina?Who will be the acolyte tomorrow morning?
- GiuliaSarà il figlio di Marco, Alessandro.It will be Marco's son, Alessandro.
- AlessandroÈ un bravo accolito, molto diligente.He is a good acolyte, very diligent.
- GiuliaSì, Giulia è d'accordo con te.Yes, Giulia agrees with you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry accolito, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries accolito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
