noun
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a person who has the calling and function of preaching the Christian Gospel, esp a Protestant clergyman
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a person who preaches
noun
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
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.
A member of Harvard’s first graduating class in 1642, Downing initially served as a preacher aboard a Caribbean trading vessel.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
Islam is the state religion but the constitution guarantees freedom of worship, subject to approval by the authorities for the place of worship and the preacher.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
“Rev. Jackson was a dynamic speaker, a preacher, so it was call and response,” she said.
From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026
In The Apostle, which he also wrote and directed, the actor played an evangelical preacher who begins a new life in Louisiana after committing a crime.
From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026
Back then, each had a part-time preacher who would deliver service on two Sundays a month.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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.
