shepherd

¹

[shep-erd]

noun

1. a person who herds, tends, and guards sheep.

2. a person who protects, guides, or watches over a person or group of people.

   Synonyms: keeper, defender, guardian, protector

3. a member of the clergy.

4. the Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

5. sheepdog.

verb (used with object)

1. to tend or guard as a shepherd.

   to shepherd the flock.

2. to watch over carefully.

Shepherd

²

[shep-erd]

noun

1. a male given name.

shepherd

¹

/ ˈʃɛpəd /

noun

1. Female equivalent: shepherdess. a person employed to tend sheep

2. a person, such as a clergyman, who watches over or guides a group of people

verb

1. to guide or watch over in the manner of a shepherd

2. Australian rules football to prevent opponents from tackling (a member of one's own team) by blocking their path

Shepherd

²

noun

1. astronomy a small moon of (e.g.) Saturn orbiting close to the rings and partly responsible for ring stability

Other Word Forms

• shepherdless adjective
• shepherdlike adjective
• undershepherd noun
• unshepherded adjective
• unshepherding adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shepherd¹

before 1050; Middle English shepherde, Old English scēphyrde. See sheep, herd ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of shepherd¹

from Old English sceaphirde. See _sheep , _herd ²

Example Sentences

For 15 years, Dylan Shepherd’s band was as close as you could get to seeing Oasis onstage.

From Los Angeles Times

“We went to their first Manchester show in July and it was unbelievable, the atmosphere was just buzzing,” Shepherd said.

From Los Angeles Times

It was New Year's Eve when Luke Shepherd caught a reflection of himself at a friend's house and decided he did not like what he saw in the mirror.

From BBC

Two years ago, before the Eaton fire would change my life and his, I met Sydney —half German shepherd, half Great Pyrenees and enigma with a capital E.

From Los Angeles Times

Two days before I met him, I’d put down Lord Byron, my 15-year-old shepherd rescue, after nursing him for a year.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• herder 
• herdsman