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Definition of "devil's advocate" [devil's advocate]

  • One who argues against a cause or position, not as a committed opponent but simply for the sake of argument or to determine the validity of the cause or position. (noun)
  • Roman Catholic Church An official appointed to present arguments against a proposed canonization or beatification. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "devil's advocate" in a sentence
  • "Such habits are not wholly incompatible with wisdom or generosity, and the devil's advocate would not advance them against their possessor's canonization; none the less, in everyday life they make against your enjoying a chat with their possessor:"
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