Synonyms

town crier

American

noun

(formerly) a person employed by a town to make public announcements or proclamations, usually by shouting in the streets.

town crier British

noun

(formerly) a person employed by a town to make public announcements in the streets

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of town crier

First recorded in 1595–1605

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.

He continued dance-walking down the long city block, the time-traveling Black town crier was waking up all those who would listen.

From Salon

Instead of caroling and ringing church bells, the most prominent sounds on Christmastide were now town criers calling: "No Christmas! No Christmas!"

From Salon

Finally, the Bidens ended up at Nantucket’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony, clapping as the town crier led the countdown and the tree was illuminated with colored lights.

From Seattle Times

Seven years ago I profiled him in a column that said that due to rising temperatures, his glacier project had turned him into a sort of “town crier of decline.”

From Seattle Times

The day begins with an old-fashioned parade, complete with a town crier.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023