preacher
noun
a person whose occupation or function it is to preach the gospel.
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:
The former seminarian, whose grandfather was a Baptist preacher, "has the right, wonderful principles and all of the plans to put into effect that will make the country great again," she said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 13, 2026
“The biggest issues we have with soccer in this country is fields and we have issues with costs,” he says with the fervor of a Baptist preacher.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 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
Also according to legend, there was a mild-mannered, nurturant, exception: John Chapman, the itinerant Swedenborgian Christian preacher and horticulturalist better known as Johnny Appleseed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
And praising like church folks, jumping from their seats when the music gets good and the preacher gets to preaching loud.
From "Finding Langston" by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Insider info: Miles Caton sung alongside the musician H.E.R. before being cast as blues prodigy Preacher Boy, but he had to learn to master the guitar for the role.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026
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
Preacher Paul Mackenzie Nthenge is in custody, pending a court appearance.
From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2023
I tried a couple more times but I waren’t getting no more explaining from the Preacher.
From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis
In one category about preachers, Ding rang up more correct responses than a Catholic priest he was playing against.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 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
He also watched social media videos of street preachers.
From BBC ● Mar. 15, 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
The preachers and congregations jumped even higher and shouted even louder than the Baptists I had known.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
