evangelist

noun

evan·​ge·​list i-ˈvan-jə-list 

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

Both essays and verse by celebrated writers and poets—a nod to Toni Morrison’s ’70s anthology, The Black Book. —HM Whole Food Cooking Every Day by Amy Chaplin The best cookbook for… becoming a whole foods evangelist. —Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 7 June 2025

Their fans aren’t passive consumers—they’re insiders, detectives, and evangelists. —Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025

In May 1926, the world-famous evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson vanished; she was last seen ducking into the ocean near Santa Monica for a swim. —Dorothy Fortenberry, The Atlantic, 12 May 2025

Charles Koch has long been a foe of protectionism and an evangelist for free markets, competitive advantage and mutual benefit. —Philip Elliott, Time, 2 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

evangelist

noun

evan·​ge·​list i-ˈvan-jə-ləst 

: 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"