Apostle is a noun referring to a prominent early Christian messenger or teacher, especially one of the original twelve disciples. It can also denote a vigorous advocate or champion of a cause. The word carries formal, historical, and religious connotations and is often used in scholarly, ecclesiastical, or literary contexts.
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"The apostle Paul is a central figure in the New Testament, renowned for his missionary journeys."
"In many churches, an apostle is regarded as someone who spread the gospel with authority."
"The organization named its leaders as apostles to emphasize their mission-driven leadership."
"She wrote a modern novel about an apostle who sought to reform a troubled community."
Apostle comes from Middle English apostel, borrowed from Old French apostle, via Late Latin apostolus, and ultimately from Greek apostolos (apostolos), from apostellein (to send forth, appoint as an apostle). The Greek term combines apo- (away) and stellein (to send), literally “one who is sent.” In early Christian usage, apostolos designated a messenger commissioned by Jesus to preach the gospel. The word’s sense broadened in ecclesiastical and theological writing, often referring to the Twelve and others regarded as sent by God to spread the teachings. In English, apostle entered by the 14th century, retaining the religious nuance while also appearing in secular contexts to mean a prominent advocate or proponent. Over time, the term took on both specific, narrow usage in Bible scholarship and more generalized senses in literature and rhetoric, sometimes accompanied by capitalized forms in religious discourse (e.g., Apostle Paul) and lowercase forms when used metaphorically (a modern “apostle of reform”). The evolution reflects shifts from a tightly defined religious office to broader metaphorical use in governance, activism, and journalism. First known use in English attested in the 14th century, with earliest translations of Latin/Greek ecclesiastical terms influencing its modern form and pronunciation.
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Words that rhyme with "apostle"
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Pronounce it as ə-POST-uhl with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US əˈpɒsəl (Common American) or əˈpɑːsəl (some speakers), UK UK: əˈpɒsəl, AU: əˈpɒsəl. Start with a schwa on the first syllable, then a clear stressed /ɒ/ or /ɑ:/ in the second, and finish with a light /l/. Think: uh-POST-ul, keeping the throat relaxed and the lips neutral. You’ll want the /p/ to land firmly, then a quick weak vowel in the final unstressed syllable. Audio reference: listen for the two-stressed pattern in standard British and American pronunciations.
Two common errors: 1) Misplacing stress, saying ap-OST-le with emphasis on the first syllable. Rest your tongue for the second syllable and give /ɒ/ a clear vowel rather than a reduced sound. 2) Slurring the final /l/ or turning it into a vowel (e.g., 'apostle' ending like 'apple' without L). Ensure a light but audible /l/ at the end. In both cases, rehearse with a slight pause between syllables, and practice a clean /s/ transition into the /əl/ ending.
In US, many speakers reduce the second vowel slightly, giving ə-ˈpäs-əl with a more open /ɑː/ in some dialects; the /t/ is often a clear stop. UK pronunciation tends toward ə-ˈpɒs.əl with a crisper /ɒ/ and a non-rhotic r-less pattern; the final /l/ is light. Australian tends to a similar pattern to UK but may feature a brighter /ɒ/ and slightly more vowel reduction in rapid speech. Across all, the primary stress remains on the second syllable; rhoticity is generally non-rhotic in UK/AU, while US varies by speaker. Practice with regional audio to feel the subtle vowel shifts.
The difficulty lies in the middle syllable: the /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ vowel under stress, the alveolar /t/ followed by a subtle consonant cluster leading into the light /əl/. English does not always clearly articulate an /s/ plus /l/ sequence in quick speech, which can blur the ending. The unstressed first syllable uses a schwa, which can be soft, causing listeners to misalign the syllable breaks. Focusing on the strong middle syllable and finishing with a crisp /l/ helps make the word distinctive.
Apostle’s two-syllable rhythm with heavy middle syllable makes it stand out. The transition from /p/ to /ɒ/ or /ɑ:/ and then into /səl/ requires a quick palate move to produce the /s/ without adding an extra vowel. The common trick is to hold the alveolar stop just long enough for the following vowel to sound clean, then glide into the /s/ and finish with a light /l/. This combination creates the recognizable two-stressed feel even in connected speech.
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