town crier

noun

: a town officer who makes public proclamations

Examples of town crier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Avedon wanted not only to detect the pulse, with a physician’s intimate solicitude, but to amplify and announce it, like a town crier. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2023 He’s become the modern-day equivalent of a town crier, a character somewhere between a loving grandfather and a next-door codger with a tale for every occasion. David Lyman, The Enquirer, 2 Nov. 2020 Gómez Llata is the 22nd town crier to serve in a line dating back to at least 1864, according to the official Provincetown Crier Facebook page. Shannon Larson, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Aug. 2022 Radu Luca, executive director of the Provincetown Chamber of Commerce, which employs the town crier, said Gómez Llata was selected for the position last year and began his role that spring. Shannon Larson, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Aug. 2022 While Saudi Arabia and the UAE compete for shares of a fast-growing renewable energy market, Kuwaiti environmentalists are taking on the role of town crier. NBC News, 21 Mar. 2022 New Glasgow's town crier James Stewart recounted the story: During World War I, Halifax ported ships that were getting ready to convoy across the Atlantic. Emily D'alessandro, CBS News, 25 Dec. 2021 Two unexpected highlights are Billy Eichner as dot-com town crier Matt Drudge and Cobie Smulders as far-right cable Cruella de Vil Ann Coulter. Olivia Nuzzi, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2021 Another piece depicts a veker, the traditional town crier who wakes the devoted at dawn for morning penance, holding a lantern at a window, also with no arms. Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt, The Atlantic, 24 Sep. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'town crier.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of town crier was in 1560

Dictionary Entries Near town crier

Cite this Entry

“Town crier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/town%20crier. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

town crier

noun
: an official who makes public announcements

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