One who offers an apology or defense; a person who makes formal justifications or explanations, especially in religious or philosophical contexts.
From 'apology' (Greek 'apologia,' a defense) with the agent suffix '-er.' An older English term for what is more commonly called an 'apologist' today.
English used to have lots of '-er' agent nouns that have since been replaced by '-ist' nouns—'apologer' became 'apologist,' showing how language gradually standardizes its patterns!
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