Supporter

/səˈpɔːrtər/ noun

Definition

A person who gives help, encouragement, or approval to someone or something; a fan of a sports team or person.

Etymology

From Latin 'supportare' (to carry, bear, endure). 'Support' entered English through Old French around the 14th century, with '-er' added to denote an agent noun (one who supports).

Kelly Says

The word 'supporter' has a hidden athletic history—it originally referred to a heraldic figure (the lion or unicorn flanking coat of arms), but by the 1800s sports fans reclaimed it to mean themselves, literally 'bearing up' their favorite teams.

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