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
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.
The preacher pleaded ignorance, but Pyongyang was a familiar place for the Graham family.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026
Choudary had been at the heart of the al-Muhajiroun organisation since its founding in the late 1990s by a radical Islamist preacher who was later jailed for life in Lebanon.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 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
“Still, the nerve of That Woman ain’t got no limits. She played all eight verses, right down to the a-men. But the preacher made certain sure she didn’t get to do it agin.”
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
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.
