follower

A follower is a term with several related senses. In everyday use, it refers to a person who actively follows or adheres to another person, group, or idea. A follower may accompany or imitate a leader, celebrity, mentor, or movement, and the word also describes someone who subscribes to another person’s updates or consumes their content. In religious, political, or philosophical contexts, a follower is an adherent or disciple who accepts the beliefs or practices of a leader or school of thought. The word derives from follow, with the agent noun suffix -er.

In modern communication, a follower often denotes someone who subscribes to another account’s posts on a social media platform. The follower count, along with the amount of people someone follows, is a common metric of reach and influence. Follower dynamics can be affected by content relevance, posting frequency, platform algorithms, and moderation practices. Users may gain or lose followers, and may manage their list by unfollowing or blocking others for privacy or safety reasons.

In mechanical engineering, a follower is a component that tracks the contour of a cam or similar profile to convert rotary motion into linear or reciprocating motion. Variants include flat-faced followers and roller followers, used in engines, textile machinery, and automation equipment. The term emphasizes the functional role of "following" a moving cam surface to produce controlled motion.

Overall, the concept of a follower encompasses social, ideological, and mechanical meanings centered on alignment, imitation, or motion following.