paladin
/'pælədin/
Definition
- Noun:
- A person who fights for a cause: A paladin is someone who champions a particular cause, often with great dedication and a sense of honor. Historically, it refers to a knightly champion.
- A heroic supporter or defender: Someone who vigorously supports or defends a person, belief, or principle.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- She was a paladin for environmental justice, dedicating her life to protecting the rainforest.
- In the story, the paladin swore an oath to defend the innocent from evil.
- He was seen as a paladin of free speech, always ready to debate censorship.
Advanced Usage
- "To play the paladin": To act as a champion or defender, sometimes implying a self-righteous or overly zealous manner.
- He always tries to play the paladin in office disputes, which can be annoying.
Variants and Related Words
Paladins (n): The plural form.
- The king was surrounded by his twelve most trusted paladins.
Paladin-like (adj): Resembling or characteristic of a paladin; chivalrous and heroic.
- His paladin-like integrity made him a respected leader.
Synonyms
- Champion: A person who fights or argues for a cause or on behalf of someone else.
- Defender: One that defends against attack, danger, or injury.
- Advocate: A person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.
- Knight: (In a historical or figurative sense) A man who served his sovereign or lord as a mounted soldier in armor; a chivalrous person.
Related Phrases
- A paladin of [a cause]: A standard construction to specify the cause being championed.
- She was a renowned paladin of human rights.
Related Idioms
- To don the mantle of a paladin: To take on the role of a champion or defender.
- After the scandal, he felt compelled to don the mantle of a paladin for corporate ethics.
Noun
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someone who fights for a cause
