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

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

Javier Hasse Instead, Blazy Susan has grown by turning employees into leaders and customers into evangelists. —Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025

This is a movie that features legendary bluesman Buddy Guy and, on the soundtrack, banjo evangelist Rhiannon Giddens and Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. —Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025

In this version, the controversial evangelist is somewhere between tragic feminist icon and pioneering proto-influencer—a kind of Kabbalah Kardashian or St. Taylor Swift. —Casey Cep, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 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"