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Glite Dictionary
homilist

homilist

1 9.8
A person who gives religious talks in church
  • noun
  • /ˈhɒmɪlɪst/
translation icon : homilista
  • While I don't expect my experience to be all-encompassing, I can say that the priests that I've respected the most have tended to be decent homilists, make time for confessions, offer Mass properly, and wear cassocks when possible.

Examples

  • The assumption on the part of the homilist, I believe, was that younger members of the congregation would not know what purgatory was and that older members had long left it behind.

    Academic text (2008)

  • The homilist delivered a powerful sermon that inspired the entire congregation.

  • Every Sunday, the homilist shares insightful messages that help guide our faith.

  • During the service, the homilist spoke about compassion and forgiveness in difficult times.

Synonyms

preacher
vshomilist
291 3.2

A person who gives sermons in a church

also writes homilies as well as delivering them
preacher man
vshomilist
  • Informal
8 6.8

A man who talks about Christian beliefs in church

is neutral and formal, used regardless of gender or informality
sermonizer
vshomilist
7.7

A person who gives religious talks to a group of people

is used more broadly to include writing homilies too

Antonyms

layperson
14 4.9

A person who does not have special knowledge or training in a subject

How Experienced

preacher
291 3.2
homilist
1 9.8
lay reader
  • Jargon
1 8.6

Surface Forms

homilist singular
homilists plural

Morphology

homilist = homily (transparent) = homily + ist

The agentive suffix '-ist' attaches to 'homily' to denote a person who gives or writes homilies, a straightforward derivation.

Etymology

The word homilist comes from the Greek word homilia, which meant 'conversation' or 'talk'. You can see the same root in the familiar word homily, a short sermon, so a homilist is someone who gives a religious talk in a church.