-latry Also -later.
Worship of a specified thing.
[Greek -latria, worship; -latrēs, worshipper.]
Most words formed using these endings have negative implications. Examples include idolatry (Greek eidōlon, from eidos, form, shape), worship of idols; Mariolatry, idolatrous worship of the Virgin Mary; hagiolatry (Greek hagios, holy), the worship of saints, or undue veneration of a famous person; demonolatry, the worship of demons; bardolatry is a humorous term for excessive admiration of the Bard, Shakespeare. Names for worshippers end in -later: bardolater, idolater.
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