evangelist

noun

evan·​ge·​list i-ˈvan-jə-list How to pronounce evangelist (audio)
1
often capitalized : a writer of any of the four Gospels
2
: a person who evangelizes
specifically : a Protestant minister or layman who preaches at special services
3
: an enthusiastic advocate
an evangelist for physical fitness

Examples of evangelist in a Sentence

an evangelist of space exploration
Recent Examples on the Web Altman became a globe-trotting AI evangelist, using his pulpit to both inspire and terrify with his predictions about what the technology augurs for elections, art, education, economies and society. Annie Massa, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2024 Like his mentor, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Dudley was a sales evangelist and a man of staunch Christian faith. Penelope Green, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 After Rosalynn was brought into the world by Lillian Carter, Jimmy Carter’s mother, who also helped deliver her siblings, Rosalynn became playmates with Jimmy’s younger sister, Ruth (later Ruth Carter Stapleton, the evangelist). Katharine Q. Seelye, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2023 Among the loudest evangelists was a naturopath named Paul C. Bragg, who, in the nineteen-twenties and thirties in Los Angeles, became a wellness adviser to the stars and then to the broader public. Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024 Consumers and enterprises saw potential in generative AI, especially after tech evangelists hailed the technology as a way to make work easier. Emilia David, The Verge, 4 Dec. 2023 The show traveled to various world’s fairs, with entry restricted to adults; evangelist Billy Graham saw it in Seattle, more or less by accident, and ensured its success by denouncing it. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2023 One of the most vocal evangelists for the claims market is Mr. Braziel, who lives in Forte dei Marmi, a seaside town in Italy, and has become a familiar face on the crypto conference circuit. Matthew Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023 The results are a little inconvenient for the EV evangelist. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 29 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'evangelist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of evangelist was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near evangelist

Cite this Entry

“Evangelist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evangelist. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

evangelist

noun
evan·​ge·​list i-ˈvan-jə-ləst How to pronounce evangelist (audio)
: a Christian preacher who goes about from place to place trying to change or increase people's religious feelings
Etymology

Middle English evangelist "one of the writers of the four Gospels," from early French and Latin evangelista (same meaning), from Greek euangelizein "to preach the gospel," from euangelion "good news, gospel," from eu- "good" and angelos "messenger, angel"

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