homily
Americannoun
plural
homilies-
a sermon, usually on a Biblical topic and usually of a nondoctrinal nature.
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an admonitory or moralizing discourse.
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an inspirational saying or cliché.
noun
-
a sermon or discourse on a moral or religious topic
-
moralizing talk or writing
Other Word Forms
- homilist noun
Etymology
Origin of homily
1545–55; < Late Latin homīlia < Greek homīlía assembly, sermon, equivalent to hómīl ( os ) crowd ( hom ( oû ) together + -īlos, masculine combining form of ī́lē (feminine) crowd) + -ia -y 3; replacing Middle English omelie < Middle French < Latin, as above
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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.
In his Palm Sunday homily last week, Pope Leo said that Jesus “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.”
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
Leo stuck to a very religious homily without any direct reference to current affairs.
From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025
Listening to the homily was Philippe Zarzour, a 59-year-old self-described a real estate expert, who said the large crowd proved the importance of the pope’s message.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 2, 2025
As I listened, it dawned on me that the melody was “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” a subtle but welcome jab at an overheated homily.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025
One Sunday, while our parents debated the meaning of Father Finnegan’s homily that morning, the doorbell rang.
From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez
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.
