shepherd

The word “shepherd” means a person whose job is to look after a flock of sheep. In plain terms, someone (or something) that looks after and guides a group, whether literal sheep or people.

“Shepherd” is pronounced SHEH-puhd (/ˈʃɛpəɹd/ in IPA).

Here is “shepherd” used in a sentence: “The shepherd led his flock down from the hills before the storm hit.”

Depending on how it is used, “shepherd” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “shepherd” comes from Old English. From Old English sceaphierde, a compound of sceap ("sheep") and hierde ("herder") — literally "sheep-herder.".

“Shepherd” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Shepherd” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person whose job is to look after a flock of sheep.

A shepherd specifically looks after a flock of sheep. A herder is a broader term for someone who tends any grazing animals, such as cattle or goats. Every shepherd is a herder, but not every herder is a shepherd.

Shepherd, with a middle "her," is the common noun for someone who tends sheep or guides others. Shepard is chiefly a surname and is spelled without the first "h." The two are pronounced almost identically, which is why they are often confused in writing.

You use shepherd as a verb when you guide or carefully lead people or a process through to completion, as in "she shepherded the bill through parliament." It suggests patient, watchful guidance rather than force.

A German shepherd is a breed of large working dog originally bred for herding and guarding sheep. The name "shepherd" reflects the dog's traditional role in looking after flocks.