Use homily for a religious address that explains scripture or gives moral teaching, especially in Christian liturgy. Sermon is broader and often more familiar to general readers.
Use homily for a religious address that explains scripture or gives moral teaching, especially in Christian liturgy. Sermon is broader and often more familiar to general readers.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The comedian gave a homily about parking. | The comedian gave a monologue about parking. |
| The priest read a homely after the Gospel. | The priest gave a homily after the Gospel. |
| A homily is always a song. | A homily is a spoken religious address. |
| The homily was wrote by the preacher. | The homily was written by the preacher. |
Use homily in secular contexts when the tone is critical or mildly ironic, suggesting that someone is lecturing others about morals. For neutral speech, use talk, lecture, or advice.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| She gave a homily and everyone danced. | She gave a speech and everyone danced. |
| His homily about honesty was delicious. | His homily about honesty felt preachy. |
| Homily means a quick joke. | Homily means a moralizing speech or sermon-like talk. |
| The advice was a delicious homily. | The advice was a tedious homily. |
Use the word when the religious or moral-teaching tone matters. In ordinary contexts, sermon, talk, or lecture may be clearer, depending on tone.
Homily is not the same as homely. Homily is a sermon or moralizing speech, while homely means plain, simple, or unattractive depending on dialect.
From Greek homilia, meaning conversation, association, or address, later used for a religious discourse. The church sense developed into a scripture-based sermon, while the secular sense kept the idea of a serious moral address.
What does homily mean?
It means a religious sermon or scripture commentary, and sometimes a moralizing or preachy speech.
Is a homily the same as a sermon?
They overlap. A homily is often a kind of sermon, especially one connected to scripture in a religious service.
Can homily be used outside religion?
Yes. Outside religion it often means a moralizing lecture, usually with a slightly negative tone.
What is the plural of homily?
The plural is homilies.
Is homily the same as homely?
No. Homily means a sermon or moralizing speech. Homely is a different word.
What is a synonym for homily?
Synonyms include sermon, religious address, lecture, exhortation, and moralizing speech.
How do you use homily in a sentence?
For example: The priest gave a short homily after the Gospel reading.