[blml] irrelevant

[David Burn]

[SW]

I think the literal meaning of 'acolyte' is the liturgical one.

[DALB]

The clever men at Oxford have this to say about "acolyte", which comes from
the Greek akolouthos (following, attending upon):

1. Eccl. An inferior officer in the church who attended the priests and
deacons, and performed subordinate duties, as lighting and bearing candles,
etc.

2. In other senses: a. An attendant or junior assistant in any ceremony or
operation; a novice.

They vouchsafe no figurative uses of the term, which is perhaps surprising.
In my own experience, the use of the term "acolyte" to describe a follower
of a particular individual is usually more deprecating of the individual
than the follower; that is, the individual is characterized by a lordly and
superior manner. It would not be correct, in my view, to use the term
"acolyte" to refer to the followers of a particular school of thought.

David Burn
London, England