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:
He studied theology at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and is the grandson of a Baptist preacher.
From Salon ● Sep. 21, 2026
Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is a former lay preacher in the Methodist church, while Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape is the devout son of a Seventh-day Adventist pastor.
From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 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
The preacher, they said, had been curing the ill through prayer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
A pretty fair preacher Charlie turned out to be too, if you ask me.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Preacher Hatchel does his best, but is too distracted by his secret project stockpiling gas masks and Arctic underwear beneath his Bible college.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
This new revival departs from his plan of dividing Oedipus into two roles, Preacher Oedipus and Blind Oedipus.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2023
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
Preacher Paul Mackenzie Nthenge is in custody, pending a court appearance.
From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2023
One time, seven free slaves came into the Settlement all at once and the Preacher took it on hisself to welcome ’em.
From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis
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
He spoke of his religiosity — his grandfather and great-grandfather were Baptist preachers — and talked at length about the optimism, a political rarity these days, that undergirds his vision for the country.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 1, 2026
Born Molly Noyle Thomas in February 1932, she came from a Garw Valley family of preachers, teachers and miners.
From BBC ● Jan. 5, 2026
Even under the best of circumstances me and preachers don’t mix so well.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
