sermon

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ser=mon

CIDE DICTIONARY

sermon, n. [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.].

•  A discourse or address; a talk; a writing; as, the sermons of Chaucer.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "This our life exempt from public haunts
  Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
  Sermons in stones and good in everything."  [1913 Webster]

  "His preaching much, but more his practice, wrought,
  A living sermon of the truths he taught."  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, a serious address; a lecture on one's conduct or duty; an exhortation or reproof; a homily; -- often in a depreciatory sense.  [1913 Webster]

sermon, v. i. [Cf. OF. sermoner, F. sermonner to lecture one.].

 To speak; to discourse; to compose or deliver a sermon.  Holinshed.  [1913 Webster]
"What needeth it to sermon of it more?"  [1913 Webster]

sermon, v. t. 

•  To discourse to or of, as in a sermon.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]
•  To tutor; to lecture.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

sermon, n.
1 a spoken or written discourse on a religious or moral subject, esp. a discourse based on a text or passage of Scripture and delivered in a service by way of religious instruction or exhortation.
2 a piece of admonition or reproof, a lecture.
3 a moral reflection suggested by natural objects etc. (sermons in stones).

Idiom

Sermon on the Mount the discourse of Christ recorded in Matt. 5-7.

Etymology

ME f. AF sermun, OF sermon f. L sermo -onis discourse, talk

THESAURUS

sermon

address, admonishment, admonition, assignment, castigation, chalk talk, chastisement, chiding, correction, discourse, disquisition, dressing-down, exercise, exhortation, exposition, harangue, homework, homily, instruction, lecture, lecture-demonstration, lesson, moral, moral lesson, morality, moralization, object lesson, objurgation, preach, preachification, preaching, preachment, prelection, rating, rebuke, recital, recitation, religious discourse, remonstrance, remonstration, reprehension, reprimand, reproach, reprobation, reproof, reproval, scolding, sermonette, sermonizing, set task, skull session, spanking, speech, talk, talking-to, task, teaching, tirade, travelogue, upbraiding

ROGET THESAURUS

sermon

Speech

N speech, faculty of speech, locution, talk, parlance, verbal intercourse, prolation, oral communication, word of mouth, parole, palaver, prattle, effusion, oration, recitation, delivery, say, speech, lecture, harangue, sermon, tirade, formal speech, peroration, speechifying, soliloquy, allocution, conversation, salutatory : screed: valedictory, oratory, elocution, eloquence, rhetoric, declamation, grandiloquence, multiloquence, burst of eloquence, facundity, flow of words, command of words, command of language, copia verborum, power of speech, gift of the gab, usus loquendi, speaker, spokesman, prolocutor, interlocutor, mouthpiece, Hermes, orator, oratrix, oratress, Demosthenes, Cicero, rhetorician, stump orator, platform orator, speechmaker, patterer, improvisatore, speaking, spoken, oral, lingual, phonetic, not written, unwritten, outspoken, eloquent, elocutionary, oratorical, rhetorical, declamatory, grandiloquent, talkative, Ciceronian, nuncupative, Tullian, orally, by word of mouth, viva voce, from the lips of, quoth he, said he, action is eloquence, pour the full tide of eloquence along, she speaks poignards and every word stabs, speech is but broken light upon the depth of the u, to try thy eloquence now 'tis time.

Dissertation

N dissertation, treatise, essay, thesis, theme, monograph, tract, tractate, tractation, discourse, memoir, disquisition, lecture, sermon, homily, pandect, excursus, commentary, review, critique, criticism, article, leader, leading article, editorial, running commentary, investigation, study, discussion, exposition, commentator, critic, essayist, pamphleteer, discursive, discoursive, disquisitionary, expository.

Rite

N rite, ceremony, ritual, liturgy, ceremonial, ordinance, observance, function, duty, form, formulary, solemnity, sacrament, incantation, service, psalmody, ministration, preaching, preachment, predication, sermon, homily, lecture, discourse, pastoral, baptism, christening, chrism, circumcision, baptismal regeneration, font, confirmation, imposition of hands, laying on of hands, ordination, excommunication, Bar Mitzvah, Bas Mitzvah, Bris, Eucharist, Lord's supper, communion, the sacrament, the holy sacrament, celebration, high celebration, missa cantata, asperges, offertory, introit, consecration, consubstantiation, transubstantiation, real presence, elements, mass, high mass, low mass, dry mass, matrimony, burial, visitation of the sick, seven sacraments, impanation, subpanation, extreme unction, viaticum, invocation of saints, canonization, transfiguration, auricular confession, maceration, flagellation, sackcloth and ashes, penance, telling of beads, processional, thurification, incense, holy water, aspersion, relics, rosary, beads, reliquary, host, cross, rood, crucifix, pax, pyx, agnus Dei, censer, thurible, patera, eileton, Holy Grail, prayer machine, prayer wheel, Sangraal, urceus, ritualism, ceremonialism, sabbatism, sabbatarianism, ritualist, sabbatarian, holyday, feast, fast, Sabbath, Pentecost, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Passion week, Holy week, Easter, Easter Sunday, Whitsuntide, agape, Ascension Day, Candlemas, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Lammas, Martinmas, Michaelmas, All SAint's DAy, All Souls' Day, Ramadan, Ramazan, Bairam Passover, Shabuoth, Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, Rosh Hashana, New Year, Hanukkah, Chanukkah, Feast of Lights, Purim, Feast of lots, ritual, ritualistic, ceremonial, baptismal, eucharistical, paschal, what art thou, thou idol ceremony?.

Teaching

N teaching, instruction, edification, education, tuition, tutorage, tutelage, direction, guidance, opsimathy, qualification, preparation, training, schooling, discipline, excitation, drill, practice, book exercise, persuasion, proselytism, propagandism, propaganda, indoctrination, inculcation, inoculation, advise, explanation, lesson, lecture, sermon, apologue, parable, discourse, prolection, preachment, chalk talk, Chautauqua, exercise, task, curriculum, course, course of study, grammar, three R's, initiation, A, B, C, elementary education, primary education, secondary education, technical education, college education, collegiate education, military education, university education, liberal education, classical education, religious education, denominational education, moral education, secular education, propaedeutics, moral tuition, gymnastics, calisthenics, physical drill, physical education, sloyd, phonics, rote, rote memorization, brute memory, cooperative learning, Montessori method, ungraded classes, test, examination, exam, final exam, mid-term exam grade, score, marks, A, B, C, D, E, F, gentleman's C, pass, fail, incomplete, homework, take-home lesson, exercise for the student, theme, project, teaching, taught, educational, scholastic, academic, doctrinal, disciplinal, instructive, instructional, didactic, propaedeutic, propaedeutical, the schoolmaster abroad, a bovi majori disscit arare minor, adeo in teneris consuecere multum est, docendo discimus, quaenocent docent, qui docet discit, sermons in stones and good in everything.