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: defender, keeper, 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

noun

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

shepherd

²

/ ˈʃɛpəd /

noun

1. a person employed to tend sheep Female equivalentshepherdess bucolicpastoral
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

Other Words From

• shepherd·less adjective
• shepherd·like adjective
• under·shepherd noun
• un·shepherd·ed adjective
• un·shepherd·ing 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

At the Los Angeles premiere of “Wicked,” producer Marc Platt, who has been shepherding the project since producing the 2003 Broadway show, struck an early campaign tone.

From Los Angeles Times

Any effort to reduce or eliminate chemical additives in foods would require experienced staffers to draft new rules and shepherd them through the required regulatory process, said Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group.

From Los Angeles Times

“We are excited that he will continue to shepherd our legendary athletics program into a new era.”

From Los Angeles Times

Sue Saddington, a local councillor, recalls having his campaign team over to her house for shepherd’s pie.

From BBC

“If you frame shipping and logistics as the service shepherds goods from middleman to middleman, then the fewer of those that exist in the ecosystem, the worse for them.”

From Salon

Related Words

• herder
• herdsman