preacher
noun
a person whose occupation or function it is to preach the gospel.
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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:
Throughout his campaign, he frequently leaned into his religious upbringing – as the grandson of a Southern Baptist preacher who spent time in a seminary – sprinkling his stump speeches with biblical references.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Just a quiet preacher sharing the Gospel’s messages with strangers—including a student on a journey in her Mamaw’s old car.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
He studied theology at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and is the grandson of a Baptist preacher.
From Salon ● Sep. 21, 2026
It neatly sums up the endgame in which we find ourselves — and his vanquishing of the preacher Eli speaks to what we worship in the United States.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
The preacher and his wife mean well, but I have to leave them.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Preacher Hatchel does his best, but is too distracted by his secret project stockpiling gas masks and Arctic underwear beneath his Bible college.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Unlike Preacher Boy or Delta Slim, Remmick doesn’t want to share that gift.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2025
This new revival departs from his plan of dividing Oedipus into two roles, Preacher Oedipus and Blind Oedipus.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2023
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
Then, they said, the Preacher rode the other white stallion to Toronto and sold it and the second pistol in the market there.
From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis
But when Swaggart caught wind of the tryst, he saw an opportunity to topple his rival and took the matter to the Assemblies of God, the church fellowship both preachers belonged to.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
Muslims ruled large parts of India from the early 13th to the 19th century, and during this era Muslim preachers and Sufi mystics actively proselytized for Islam.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 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
Because many colonists were illiterate, the Declaration was commonly declaimed by local officials in town squares and preachers in pulpits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
What she wasn’t may have been just as important to Montgomery’s black leadership, the preachers and teachers and ASC women and E. D. Nixon.
From "Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" by Phillip Hoose
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