gospeler

English

Alternative forms

• gospeller

Etymology

gospel +‎ -er (occupational suffix). Compare Middle English gospeler (“one of the Gospel writers or Evangelists; statue of one of the Evangelists; (of Old Testament persons) bringer of good news; Isaiah; book containing the Gospels; content of one of the Gospels”), from Old English godspellere.

Noun

gospeler (plural gospelers)

1. A person who preaches from the Gospels
2. (music) A singer of gospel music
3. (obsolete, Early Modern) A Protestant or evangelical Christian.
   • 1549, William Thomas, The historie of Italie […]‎^[1], page 85:

     If thou be a papist, there shalt thou want no kinde of supersticion to feede vpon. If thou be a gospeller, no man shall aske why thou comest not to churche.

   • 1554 April 8, Nicholas Ridley, “Dr. Ridley late Bishop of London to West, formerly his Steward […]”, in John Strype, editor, Memorials of the Most Reverend Father in God, Thomas Cranmer […], published 1694, page 202:

     You know I have conferred with many, and I ensure you, I never found man, so far as I do remembre, neyther old nor new Gospeller or Papist, of what judgment soever he was, in this thing to be a contrary opinion.

   • 1682, England’s Remembrancer […], London: E. Smith, page 152:

     He for some time kept School at Reading in Barkshire, but after a time being found to be a Gospeller he was forced to fly thence, and repairing to his own Mother, who was a Papist.

Synonyms

• (preacher): evangelist

Derived terms

• hot gospeler

Anagrams

• Ploegers, leg ropes, legropes