What does "preacher" mean?

Someone who preaches a worldview, philosophy, or religion, especially someone who preaches the gospel and especially a clergyman or clergywoman. In a religious context, usually used only to refer to Protestant Christian clergy.

What is a synonym for "preacher"?

Common synonyms include: pulpiter, boanerges, cassock, chalk talker, churchman, circuit rider.

Preacher

//ˈpɹit͡ʃɚ// name, noun

name, noun ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Noun

1
Someone who preaches a worldview, philosophy, or religion, especially someone who preaches the gospel and especially a clergyman or clergywoman. In a religious context, usually used only to refer to Protestant Christian clergy.
"The born preacher we feel instinctively to be our foe. He may do some good to the wretches that have been struck down and lie gasping on the battlefield: he rouses antagonism in the strong."
2
someone whose occupation is preaching the gospel wordnet

Proper Noun

1
Ecclesiastes, the twenty-first book of the Old Testament.
2
A male given name from English. rare
3
A surname from Middle English. rare
4
A nickname.

Synonyms

All synonyms

pulpiter boanerges cassock chalk talker churchman circuit rider

Example

More examples

"She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes, we can."

Etymology

From Middle English precher, prechere; partly equivalent to preach + -er, and partly continuing Middle English prechour, prechiour, from Old French preecheor (French prêcheur), from Latin praedicator (“public praiser, proclaimer”). See preach. Displaced native Old English bydel.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.