shepherd

1 of 2

noun

shep·​herd ˈshe-pərd How to pronounce shepherd (audio)
1
: a person who tends sheep
2
: pastor
3

shepherd

2 of 2

verb

shepherded; shepherding; shepherds

transitive verb

1
: to tend as a shepherd
2
: to guide or guard in the manner of a shepherd
shepherded the bill through Congress

Examples of shepherd in a Sentence

Verb She carefully shepherded the children across the street. They shepherded the bill through Congress.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Dutch shepherd was donated to the unit by a kennel in March 2021, officials said. Mark Price, Miami Herald, 8 May 2024 Macron then whisked Xi and both their wives to southwestern France’s mountainous Pyrenees, where they were entertained in driving rain by a traditional shepherd’s dance, before settling down to a lunch of local ham, lamb, cheese, and blueberry pie. TIME, 8 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for shepherd 

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sheepherde, from Old English scēaphyrde, from scēap sheep + hierde herdsman; akin to Old English heord herd

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shepherd was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near shepherd

Cite this Entry

“Shepherd.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shepherd. Accessed 10 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

shepherd

1 of 2 noun
shep·​herd ˈshep-ərd How to pronounce shepherd (audio)
1
: a person who takes care of sheep
2

shepherd

2 of 2 verb
: to care for as or as if a shepherd

More from Merriam-Webster on shepherd

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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