əˈpäləjə̇st sometimes ˌapəˈlōj- noun
( -s )
Etymology: French apologiste, from apologie apology + -iste -ist
1. : one who makes an apology or defense : one who speaks or writes in defense of a faith, a cause, or an institution ; especially : one who makes a systematic defense of Christianity
2. usually capitalized : one of a number of 2d century church fathers who wrote treatises in defense of the Christian faith