sermon — a religious discourse delivered by a member of the clergy as part of a church service
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a religious discourse delivered by a member of the clergy as part of a church service
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈsɜːrmən/
Example Sentences
- The fire-and-brimstone sermon made half the congregation fall asleep.
- She listened to the sermon while secretly playing games on her phone.
- The graduation ceremony included a brief sermon about life's challenges.
sermon
NOUN[/ˈsɜːrmən/]
a religious discourse delivered by a member of the clergy as part of a church service

Pastor delivering a sermon

The teacher's sermon reminded the students to be honest and kind.

A German chairman gave a long sermon before the meeting began.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Latin 'sermo', originally meaning 'conversation' or 'discourse'. Over time, its meaning evolved within Christian contexts to denote a formal religious address or homily, as if conveying divine conversation to an assembled congregation.
Breakdown
sermo (conversation, discourse) + -on (noun suffix). The Latin root 'sermo' combines with the nominal ending '-on' to form the English noun.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The fire-and-brimstone sermon made half the congregation fall asleep.”
“She listened to the sermon while secretly playing games on her phone.”
“The graduation ceremony included a brief sermon about life's challenges.”
“Dad's sermon about saving money lasted longer than the movie we wanted to watch.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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