devil's advocate
The term "devil's advocate" has its roots in the Catholic Church, where it referred to a person appointed to argue against the canonization of a saint. Today, it commonly describes someone who argues an opposing view for the sake of debate.
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Definition
B2General
(idiomatic)A person who argues an opposing view, not necessarily their own, to provoke debate or test the strength of the argument.
Example
- During the meeting, she played devil's advocate to help the team see potential flaws in the plan.
C1Roman Catholic Church
(historical, formal)A canon lawyer appointed to argue against the canonization of a proposed candidate for sainthood.
Example
- In the past, the Church appointed a devil's advocate to ensure a thorough examination of the candidate's life.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "devil's advocate":