"Sermonize" comes from the Latin word "sermo," which means "speech" or "discourse."
The suffix "-ize" indicates "to make" or "to cause."
Meaning:
To preach or give a moralizing speech.
To lecture someone in a self-righteous manner.
To moralize or lecture in a tedious or excessive way.
Origin:
The term "sermon" originally referred to a religious speech or homily given in a church setting.
In the 16th century, the term "sermonize" began to be used more broadly to describe any speech or discourse with a moral or didactic purpose.
By the 18th century, "sermonize" had acquired its current meaning of preaching or lecturing in a tedious or overly moralizing way.
Usage:
"Sermonize" is often used in a disapproving sense, implying that the speaker is being preachy or self-righteous. It can also be used to describe speeches or discourses that are overly long or pedantic.
Examples:
"The minister's sermon was so long and dull that I found myself drifting off to sleep."
"The politician's speech was full of sermonizing about the importance of family values."
"I hate it when people sermonize to me about how I should live my life."
