Homily
A short moral address, traditionally an explanation of a scriptural passage for a congregation.
A homily is a brief instructional talk that explains a text and applies it to daily conduct. From Greek homilia, "conversation" or "discourse with a group", the word signals a lower register than sermon: less argument, more direct application.
In practice, homily and sermon overlap; the useful distinction is method. A sermon may build a thesis from many sources, while a homily typically walks through one passage in order, drawing a practical point from each part.
In secular usage the word has acquired a mild edge. To call advice "homiletic" suggests it is well-meaning but obvious — moral instruction offered where analysis was expected.
Common mistake: quoting a homily as if it were doctrine. Homilies are pastoral applications addressed to a particular congregation on a particular day, and they carry no authority beyond that setting.
“A ten-minute address unfolding one parable verse by verse toward a single practical instruction.”
Keep reading the glossary
A religious address — historically one of the most prolific sources of quotation in any culture.
A short story that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson — most famously, the parables of Jesus.
A quotation that urges action rather than states a truth.
A formal public speech — the original setting for many of the most-quoted lines in history.