Religious discourse; a written or spoken address on a religious or moral matter.
"The pastor delivered an inspiring sermon that encouraged the congregation to practice forgiveness and charity."
In plain English: A sermon is a speech given by a religious leader to teach people about their faith and moral values during a service.
"The pastor delivered a long sermon about forgiveness during Sunday church service."
Usage: The term typically refers specifically to addresses delivered by clergy within a church setting rather than general moral lectures. While "sermonize" can describe preaching generally, it often carries a negative connotation of being overly didactic or tedious.
To discourse to or of, as in a sermon.
"The priest would often discourse on moral virtues during his weekly address."
In plain English: To sermon is to scold someone repeatedly and annoyingly about their bad behavior.
"The old pastor would sermon his congregation about repentance for hours every Sunday morning."
The word "sermon" entered English via Middle English from the Anglo-Norman and Old French forms of a Latin term meaning speech or conversation. It ultimately traces its roots to an ancient Indo-European root related to binding, though this original sense is no longer reflected in the modern definition.