What does sermon mean?

Definitions for sermon
ˈsɜr mənser·mon

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word sermon.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. sermon, discourse, preachingnoun

    an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service)

  2. sermon, preachingnoun

    a moralistic rebuke

    "your preaching is wasted on him"

Wiktionary

  1. sermonnoun

    religious discourse; a written or spoken address on a religious or moral matter

  2. sermonnoun

    a lengthy speech of reproval

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Sermonnoun

    A discourse of instruction pronounced by a divine for the edification of the people.

    Etymology: sermon, Fr. sermo, Lat.

    As for our sermons, be they never so sound and perfect, God’s word they are not, as the sermons of the prophets were; no, they are but ambiguously termed his word, because his word is commonly the subject whereof they treat, and must be the rule whereby they are framed. Richard Hooker.

    This our life, exempt from publick haunt,
    Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
    Sermons in stones, and good in every thing. William Shakespeare.

    In his sermons unto the soldiers, and in open talk with the nobility, it should seem that he himself had been enough to have overthrown the Turks. Richard Knolles, History of the Turks.

    Sermons he heard, yet not so many
    As left no time to practise any:
    He heard them reverently, and then
    His practice preach’d them o’er again. Richard Crashaw.

    Many, while they have preached Christ in their sermons, have read a lecture of atheism in their practice. South.

    His preaching much, but more his practice wrought;
    A living sermon of the truths he taught. Dryden.

  2. To Sermonverb

    Etymology: sermoner, Fr. from the noun.

    Some would rather have good discipline delivered plainly by way of precept, or sermoned at large, than thus cloudily inwrapped in allegorical devises. Edmund Spenser.

    Come, sermon me no farther:
    No villainous bounty yet hath past my heart. William Shakespeare, Timon.

Wikipedia

  1. Sermon

    A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. Elements of the sermon often include exposition, exhortation, and practical application. The act of delivering a sermon is called preaching. In secular usage, the word sermon may refer, often disparagingly, to a lecture on morals. In Christian practice, a sermon is usually preached to a congregation in a place of worship, either from an elevated architectural feature, known as a pulpit or an ambo, or from behind a lectern. The word sermon comes from a Middle English word which was derived from Old French, which in turn originates from the Latin word sermō meaning 'discourse.' A sermonette is a short sermon (usually associated with television broadcasting, as stations would present a sermonette before signing off for the night). The Christian Bible contains many speeches without interlocution, which some take to be sermons: Jesus' sermon on the mount in Matthew 5–7 (though the gospel writers do not specifically call it a sermon; the popular descriptor for Jesus' speech there came much later); and Peter after Pentecost in Acts 2:14–40 (though this speech was delivered to non-Christians and as such is not quite parallel to the popular definition of a sermon). In Islam, sermons are known as khutbah.

ChatGPT

  1. sermon

    A sermon is a type of speech or discourse, typically delivered by a religious figure or clergy member, that provides guidance, moral teachings, or religious instruction to an audience, usually with the aim of inspiring or encouraging spiritual reflection, motivating behavior change, and fostering a deeper connection with a particular faith tradition.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Sermonnoun

    a discourse or address; a talk; a writing; as, the sermons of Chaucer

  2. Sermonnoun

    specifically, a discourse delivered in public, usually by a clergyman, for the purpose of religious instruction and grounded on some text or passage of Scripture

  3. Sermonnoun

    hence, a serious address; a lecture on one's conduct or duty; an exhortation or reproof; a homily; -- often in a depreciatory sense

  4. Sermonverb

    to speak; to discourse; to compose or deliver a sermon

  5. Sermonverb

    to discourse to or of, as in a sermon

  6. Sermonverb

    to tutor; to lecture

  7. Etymology: [OE. sermoun, sermun, F. sermon, fr. L. sermo, -onis, a speaking, discourse, probably fr. serer, sertum, to join, connect; hence, a connected speech. See Series.]

Wikidata

  1. Sermon

    A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts. Elements of preaching include exposition, exhortation and practical application. In Christianity, a sermon is often delivered in a place of worship, most of which have a pulpit or ambo, an elevated architectural feature. The word "sermon" comes from a Middle English word which was derived from an Old French term, which in turn came from the Latin word sermō;, although links have been made between the Latin word serere, which means 'to join together', so this leaves the modern Latin definition open to interpretation. The word can mean "conversation", which could mean that early sermons were delivered in the form of question and answer, and that only later did it come to mean a monologue. In contrast to this are examples from the Bible, where sermons are speeches without interlocution: Moses' sermon in Deuteronomy 1-33; Jesus' sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7; Peter's sermon after Pentecost in Acts 2:14-40.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Sermon

    sėr′mon, n. a discourse on a text of Scripture delivered during divine service: any serious address, any serious counsel, admonition, or reproof.—v.t. to tutor, to lecture.—ns. Sermol′ogus, a volume containing sermons by the Church fathers; Sermoneer′, a sermoniser; Ser′moner, a preacher; Ser′monet, a little sermon.—adjs. Sermon′ic, -al, having the character of a sermon.—n. Ser′moning, the act of preaching: a homily.—v.i. Ser′monise, to compose or preach sermons: to lecture: to lay down the law.—v.t. to preach a sermon to.—ns. Sermonī′ser, one who preaches or writes sermons; Sermō′nium, a historical play, formerly acted by the inferior orders of the Roman Catholic clergy; Sermun′cle, a little sermon. [L. sermo, sermonisserĕre, to join.]

Surnames Frequency by Census Records

  1. SERMON

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Sermon is ranked #50960 in terms of the most common surnames in America.

    The Sermon surname appeared 409 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Sermon.

    62.1% or 254 total occurrences were White.
    31.7% or 130 total occurrences were Black.
    2.9% or 12 total occurrences were of two or more races.
    2.4% or 10 total occurrences were Asian.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of sermon in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of sermon in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of sermon in a Sentence

  1. Everett Piper:

    Oklahoma Wesleyan is not a 'safe place,' but rather a place to learn: to learn that life isn't about you, but about others; that the bad feeling you have while listening to a sermon is called guilt; that the way to address it is to repent of everything that's wrong with you rather than blame others for everything that's wrong with them,

  2. Kardashian West:

    It's honestly more like a healing experience for my husband, it's just music ; there's no sermon. It's definitely something he believes in -- Sweet Jesus -- and there's a Christian vibe. But there's no preaching. It's just a very spiritual Christian experience.

  3. Michael Duduit:

    I tell them it's OK to tell a story. Jesus told stories, just don't add details that didn't happen. If you do, four or five millennials in the congregation will start Googling you before the sermon is even over.

  4. Ramesh Maharaj:

    I was unable to read from the Scriptures and do my sermon, i could have done my sermon, but from memory.

  5. Bruce Prescott:

    Frankly, I’m glad we finally got the governor and attorney general to agree to let the monument be moved to private property, which is where I believe it’s most appropriate, i’m not opposed to the Ten Commandments. The first sermon I ever preached was on the Ten Commandments. I’m just opposed to it being on public property.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

sermon#10000#14704#100000

Translations for sermon

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"sermon." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/sermon>.

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    (used especially of glances) directed to one side with or as if with doubt or suspicion or envy
    A currish
    B askant
    C motile
    D tantamount

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