SERMON

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does sermon mean? 

• SERMON (noun)
  The noun SERMON has 2 senses:

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

2. a moralistic rebuke

  Familiarity information: SERMON used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SERMON (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

discourse; preaching; sermon

Hypernyms ("sermon" is a kind of...):

address; speech (the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience)

Domain category:

church; church service (a service conducted in a house of worship)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sermon"):

baccalaureate (a farewell sermon to a graduating class at their commencement ceremonies)

kerugma; kerygma (preaching the gospel of Christ in the manner of the early church)

evangelism (zealous preaching and advocacy of the gospel)

homily; preachment (a sermon on a moral or religious topic)

Instance hyponyms:

Sermon on the Mount (the first major discourse delivered by Jesus (Matthew 5-7 and Luke 6:20-49))

Derivation:

sermonise; sermonize (speak as if delivering a sermon; express moral judgements)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A moralistic rebuke

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

preaching; sermon

Context example:

your preaching is wasted on him

Hypernyms ("sermon" is a kind of...):

lecture; speech; talking to (a lengthy rebuke)

Derivation:

sermonise; sermonize (speak as if delivering a sermon; express moral judgements)

 Context examples 

“I think the man who could often quarrel with Fanny,” said Edmund affectionately, “must be beyond the reach of any sermons.”

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I wish I could describe that sermon: but it is past my power.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

A sermon was delivered—about Dora, of course—and I am afraid that is all I know of the service.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

How should you have liked making sermons?

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

"I like that kind of sermon. It's the sort Father used to tell us," said Beth thoughtfully, putting the needles straight on Jo's cushion.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Ministers began to preach sermons against "Ephemera," and one, who too stoutly stood for much of its content, was expelled for heresy.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I got him on the subject of the legends, and he went off at once into a sort of sermon.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

By my hilt! said Aylward, if I am to preach on bowmanship, the whole long day would scarce give me time for my sermon.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A sermon, well delivered, is more uncommon even than prayers well read.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

"Now, Marmee, that is very cunning of you to turn our own stories against us, and give us a sermon instead of a romance!" cried Meg.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)