: a boy who assists the celebrant in a liturgical service
2
chiefly US: a morally pure and virtuous person
No one expects … the trendsetter and party animal to become an altar boy. Johnnie L. Roberts
—typically used in negative constructions to describe a man whose behavior is not entirely admirable or blameless
A long time ago she married a man who turns out, by his own admission, to be somewhat dishonest—not a killer, not a dope peddler, but no altar boy, either. Richard Cohen
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebIn fact, Pope Francis recently called Patriarch Kirill, 'Putin's altar boy' and warned him not to be that close to those political leaders.CBS News, 6 July 2022 There was the time that Patterson and a fellow altar boy—Patterson grew up in a devoutly Catholic family—almost got caught with a stash of unconsecrated Communion hosts that his friend had squirrelled away for post-Mass snacking. Laura Miller, The New Yorker, 13 June 2022 Her mother sent her to Catholic school at nearby St. Francis, where James Cagney once served as an altar boy. Roy Trakin, Variety, 9 June 2022 Buck, who was raised Catholic and served as an altar boy, also was molested by several priests and a monsignor, according to his lawyer. Matthew Ormsethstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2022 Brennan had been named in more than 20 abuse complaints during his long church career, and Philadelphia prosecutors charged him in 2013 with raping former altar boy Sean McIlmail in 1998. Maryclaire Dale, Baltimore Sun, 31 Mar. 2022 These are not the ideas Gutfeld was spoon-fed at Catholic school in the San Francisco suburb of San Mateo or as an altar boy.Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2021 The movie also starred Humphrey Bogart in the story of a former altar boy gone homicidally wrong. Rick Kogan, chicagotribune.com, 12 Jan. 2022 Drew was arrested in August 2019 in the case involving the altar boy. Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 2 Dec. 2021 See More