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sermon
[ sur-muhn ]
/ ËsÉr mÉn /
See the most commonly confused word associated with homily
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noun
a discourse for the purpose of religious instruction or exhortation, especially one based on a text of Scripture and delivered by a member of the clergy as part of a religious service.
any serious speech, discourse, or exhortation, especially on a moral issue.
a long, tedious speech.
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Origin of sermon
1150â1200; Middle English <Medieval Latin sermĆn- (stem of sermĆ) speech from pulpit, Latin: discourse, equivalent to ser- (base of serere to link up, organize) + -mĆn- noun suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM sermon
ser·mon·less, adjectiveWords nearby sermon
serjeant at arms, serjeant at law, serjeanty, Serkin, Serlio, sermon, sermonette, sermonic, sermonize, Sermon on the Mount, sero-
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use sermon in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for sermon
sermon
/ (ËsÉËmÉn) /
noun
- an address of religious instruction or exhortation, often based on a passage from the Bible, esp one delivered during a church service
- a written version of such an address
a serious speech, esp one administering reproof
Derived forms of sermon
sermonic (sÉËËmÉnÉȘk) or sermonical, adjectiveWord Origin for sermon
C12: via Old French from Latin sermĆ discourse, probably from serere to join together
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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