/ ˈpriːtʃə(r); NAmE / noun
a person, often a member of the clergy , who gives religious talks and often performs religious ceremonies, for example in a church :
a preacher famous for her inspiring sermons
a lay preacher (= who is not a priest, etc. but who has been trained to give religious talks)
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French precheor , from ecclesiastical Latin praedicator , from the verb praedicare proclaim, in ecclesiastical Latin preach, from prae before + dicare declare.