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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

shepherd

/ˈʃɛpəɹd/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:57
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What does shepherd mean?

noun

  1. A person who tends sheep, especially a grazing flock.
  2. A male sheep tender
  3. (figuratively) Someone who watches over, looks after, or guides somebody.
More meanings (13)

noun

  1. (figuratively) A male watcher/guardian/guider/leader
  2. (figuratively) The pastor of a church; one who guides others in religion.
  3. (figuratively) A male pastor
  4. A swain; a rustic male lover.
  5. A German Shepherd.

verb

  1. To watch over; to guide.
  2. To obstruct an opponent from getting to the ball, either when a teammate has it or is going for it, or if the ball is about to bounce through the goal or out of bounds.

proper noun

  1. An English surname originating as an occupation.
  2. A male given name.
  3. An unincorporated community in Boone County, Indiana.
  4. A village in Isabella County, Michigan.
  5. A census-designated place in Yellowstone County, Montana.
  6. A city in San Jacinto County, Texas.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈʃɛpəɹd/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

Before I had crossed the threshold of my church I was made to realize that I was shepherd of a divided flock.
Anna Howard Shaw; Elizabeth Garver JordanThe Story of a PioneerProject Gutenberg ebook #354
These are of that Spatangoid form, which you will often find fossil in the chalk, and which shepherd boys call snakes’ heads.
Charles KingsleyGlaucus; Or, The Wonders of the ShoreProject Gutenberg ebook #695
More book examples (3)
A Greek legend tells us that the lodestone was discovered by Magnes, a shepherd who found his crook attracted by the rock.
John MunroHeroes of the TelegraphProject Gutenberg ebook #979
For weeks afterward I was almost daily accosted by some anxious shepherd, who asked, "Have you seen any stray OTO sheep lately?"
Ernest Thompson SetonWild Animals I Have KnownProject Gutenberg ebook #3031
Man, at first a ravenous hunter after game, brought the flock into existence and turned shepherd to avoid a time of dearth.
Jean-Henri FabreMore Hunting WaspsTranslated by Alexander Teixeira de MattosProject Gutenberg ebook #3462