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:
His sentencing will conclude a dramatic and protracted downfall for a preacher who at one point been preparing to take NOS global with expansion to the US.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
A prominent evangelical preacher went even further when he heard Indian leader Modi would soon be arriving on New Zealand's shores.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 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
He wasn't a preacher, but he was definitely preaching something—a vision.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Preacher Bamm is too busy throwing his daughter’s vanities out into the yard.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 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
By the time I’d finished, the Preacher had only shot three of the wood hunks and was sighting in on number four.
From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis
In the halcyon days of the televangelists, when Jim Bakker stood shoulder to shoulder with fire and brimstone preachers such as Jerry Farwell, Pat Robertson and Jimmy Swaggart, the collection plate always seemed bottomless.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
The two preachers have previously been detained by authorities, the most recent being in January, when they were summoned by police for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble".
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 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
It’s clear from the outset that Mr. Clark’s sympathies lie with the two preachers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
Even as a teenager, I was convinced that Dr. King was different from other preachers I had heard.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
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