pulpit
n. countablen. a high platform in a church where a priest or minister stands to give a talk. It is usually raised so that everyone in the building can see and hear the speaker clearly.
n. an elevated platform or stand in a church from which a sermon is delivered. Often enclosed by a railing and positioned to provide maximum visibility to the congregation.
The minister stood at the pulpit to begin the Sunday service.
The historic cathedral features an ornate wooden pulpit carved with scenes from the life of Saint Peter.
From his vantage point at the pulpit, the preacher could observe the subtle shifts in the congregation's attention as he moved from theological exposition to more personal anecdotes.
From Middle English pulpit, from Old French pulpite and Latin pulpitum (“platform”). Doublet of pulpitum.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Often used with the preposition 'at' or 'in'.
Last updated May 7, 2026