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Homily Has Greek Roots
Gather round for a succinct history of homily. The story starts with the ancient Greek word homilos, meaning "crowd" or "assembly," and travels through related Greek words homilein, "to address," and homilia, "conversation, discourse." Homilia eventually takes on the "usually short sermon" meaning in our modern homily, and then is incorporated into the Latin used by writers of the early first millennium. It reaches English speakers of the 14th century by way of Anglo-French, but when it arrives it's spelled omelie. By the mid-16th century the "h" is back, and the "y" of the modern spelling has found its place. A side note to our tale is this: be careful not to confuse homily with hominy, a 17th century word of Virginia Algonquian origin denoting a key ingredient in the Mexican soup posole (which, if we may be so corny, is a dish worth preaching about).
Examples of homily in a Sentence
Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Pope Leo also called on Acutis’s legacy in a homily at the Jubilee of Young People this summer.
—Kate Cray, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2025
The funeral itself was a sober affair, with Abbot Placid Solari — a Benedictine monk, Abbot of Belmont Abbey and Chancellor of Belmont Abbey College — providing the homily.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2025
Gomez addressed the burden of fear and anxiety caused by immigration enforcement during the homily.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for homily
Cite this Entry
“Homily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homily. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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