preacher
noun
a person whose occupation or function it is to preach the gospel.
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preacher
1
British
/ ˈpriːtʃə /
noun
-
a person who has the calling and function of preaching the Christian Gospel, esp a Protestant clergyman
-
a person who preaches
Preacher
2
British
/ ˈpriːtʃə /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of preacher
1175–1225; Middle English precho ( u ) r < Old French prech ( e ) or, earlier preëch ( e ) or < Late Latin praedicātor. See preach, -or 2
Explanation
A preacher is a Christian religious leader. On Sundays, preachers deliver sermons in churches. While it's possible to preach, or proclaim publicly, about non-religious topics, you're most likely to find the word preacher describing an evangelist Christian minister or pastor. There are also informal street preachers who preach the gospel to people who walk by. Preacher comes from the Latin word praedicatorem, "public praiser," or "proclaimer."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
His sentencing will conclude a dramatic and protracted downfall for a preacher who at one point been preparing to take NOS global with expansion to the US.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
Gerstner is a longtime techno-optimist, spreading the gospel of Silicon Valley-style capitalism with the zeal of a revivalist preacher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
It neatly sums up the endgame in which we find ourselves — and his vanquishing of the preacher Eli speaks to what we worship in the United States.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
Also addressing the May 17 gathering was the Rev. Franklin Graham, a leading evangelical preacher and the president of Samaritan’s Purse.
From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2026
In Dowa, there was a famous preacher named Reverend JJ Chikankheni, who happened to be one of my father’s most loyal customers.
From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba
Preacher Bamm is too busy throwing his daughter’s vanities out into the yard.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Sammie, who adopts the stage name of Preacher Boy, is set on joining that pantheon, which Stack invites him to do by performing at Club Juke.
From Salon ● May 2, 2025
It could be Preacher, who has a religious bent; or Bigger, the raw but hyperobservant new recruit; or the war-weary Silk, who already has a Purple Heart; or the aggressive Crazy Horse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2025
In addition to the blocking, the scene comes together through a combination of performance, lighting and song selection, with the Dusty Springfield hit “Son of a Preacher Man” helping to further elevate it.
From New York Times ● Apr. 28, 2023
Once we got up on ’em I saw the Preacher waren’t there.
From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis
With his first book, John Crow’s Devil, a religious drama about two small-town Jamaican preachers competing for leadership, James faced a literary hazing of sorts while trying to sell the manuscript.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
In the halcyon days of the televangelists, when Jim Bakker stood shoulder to shoulder with fire and brimstone preachers such as Jerry Farwell, Pat Robertson and Jimmy Swaggart, the collection plate always seemed bottomless.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
The speakers’ lineup in Tulsa will reportedly include Flynn, Clark, Eric Trump, Jackson Lahmeyer and his wife Kendra, and a veritable apostolic Lollapalooza of NAR-friendly preachers.
From Salon ● Apr. 4, 2026
It’s clear from the outset that Mr. Clark’s sympathies lie with the two preachers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
“Most preachers are sick or too exhausted to rise from their beds. A few stay in the square during the day, that takes care of the praying.”
From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson
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