pulpit

noun pul·pit \ ˈpu̇l-ˌpit , ˈpəl- , -pət \

Updated on: 14 Apr 2018

Definition of pulpit

1 : an elevated platform or high reading desk used in preaching or conducting a worship service

2 a : the preaching profession

b : a preaching position

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Recent Examples of pulpit from the Web

Others returned to the pulpit, preaching a gospel of racial liberation.

— Washington Post, "Commitment to King’s unfinished work remains 50 years later," 1 Apr. 2018
McCloskey realized that his calling was not to the pulpit, but to the work of freeing the wrongly convicted.

— barbara bradley hagerty, The Atlantic, "Can You Prove Your Innocence Without DNA?," 6 Mar. 2018
D’Alesandro remembers thinking, when ministers might be able to quell the anger from their pulpits.

— jean marbella, baltimoresun.com, "The fire both times: Baltimore riots after Martin Luther King's death 50 years ago left scars that remain," 28 Mar. 2018
Whether speaking from the pulpit in Kampala or at social functions, the 59-year-old has become Uganda’s most ardent promoter of Islamic banking, a practice the nation is set to follow neighbors Kenya and Tanzania in adopting after years of debate.

— Bloomberg.com, "Spreading Islamic Banking in Uganda, One Sermon at a Time," 27 Mar. 2018
Similarly, the fruit of my jack-in-the-pulpit flops to the ground in the fall, the moist flesh disintegrates over the winter and seeds sprout.

— cynthia kling, WSJ, "Old-School Gardening: The 8 Most Reliable Flowers and Veggies to Grow From Seed," 23 Mar. 2018
On this one, kill him, take him to his church, dump him in the pulpit. .

— j.r. jones, Chicago Reader, "The Death of Stalin shines a light on Lavrenti Beria, head of the Soviet Union’s dreaded secret police.," 15 Mar. 2018
While Cruz took the pulpit this week, the Senate’s other member from the Lone Star State, Republican John Cornyn, began drafting legislation to reform RFS, according to a Cornyn aide.

— dino grandoni, Washington Post, "The Energy 202: Why Ted Cruz rallied with Philadelphia union workers this week," 23 Feb. 2018
And the New York Times takes a look at how politics from the pulpit is splitting evangelicals.

— NBC News, "First Read’s Morning Clips: How Republicans could still hold the House," 27 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pulpit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of pulpit

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin pulpitum, from Latin, staging, platform

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary

PULPIT Defined for English Language Learners

pulpit

noun

Definition of pulpit for English Language Learners

: a raised platform where a priest or minister stands when leading a worship service

PULPIT Defined for Kids

pulpit

noun pul·pit \ ˈpu̇l-ˌpit \

Definition of pulpit for Students

1 : a raised place in which a clergyman stands while preaching or conducting a religious service

2 : the profession of preachers

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See words that rhyme with pulpit Spanish Central: Translation of pulpit Nglish: Translation of pulpit for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pulpit for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pulpit

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Definition of pulpit

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pulpit

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pulpit

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