What does extoller mean?
An extoller is a person who praises someone or something with enthusiasm and often at length. The word is formed from the verb extol — meaning to praise highly — combined with the agent suffix -er, which marks the doer of an action. Calling someone an extoller emphasizes not just that they admire a person, idea, or work, but that they actively and publicly voice that admiration. The term sits in a formal, somewhat literary register and is much rarer than the verb it derives from. It can be wholly complimentary, as in describing a devoted champion of a cause, but it sometimes carries a faint hint of excess, suggesting praise that is lavish or insufficiently critical. Typical contexts include reviews, biographies, and commentary on public figures, where writers distinguish genuine admirers from mere extollers.
nounA person who praises someone or something highly and enthusiastically; one who extols.
- A person who praises someone or something enthusiastically and publicly.
"The award ceremony brought together the artist's most devoted admirers, each a passionate extoller of her singular vision."
"As a lifelong extoller of small-town journalism, he never missed a chance to defend the local paper."
"Critics dismissed the biography as the work of an uncritical extoller rather than a serious historian."
Regular plural formation; used when referring to multiple people who praise something.
"The movement attracted extollers from every corner of the political spectrum."
Every 'extoller' carries a hidden Latin lift: its root tollere literally means 'to raise up' — so when you extol someone, you're lifting them skyward with words.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of extoller
Extoller derives from the verb extol, which entered English in the early 15th century from Latin extollere, meaning 'to raise up, lift high, or elevate.' The Latin word combines ex- ('up, out') with tollere ('to raise or lift'). By extension, extollere came to mean lifting something up in speech — that is, praising it — and English adopted both the literal and figurative senses before settling firmly on the figurative one. The agent noun extoller was formed within English by adding the suffix -er, on the pattern of countless other verbs of action.
How extoller is actually used
Extoller is a somewhat formal, literary agent noun. It is far less common than the verb extol and often appears in contexts discussing praise that may be seen as effusive or uncritical, though it can be entirely neutral.
Easily confused with extoller
Extol is the verb meaning to praise highly, while extoller is the noun denoting the person doing the praising.