noun
Common
gospel
GOS-puhl
Gospel (noun) means any of the four New Testament books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) recounting the life and teachings of Jesus. Example: “Each gospel tells the story of Jesus in a slightly different way.”
noun
1
Any of the four New Testament books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) recounting the life and teachings of Jesus.
"Each gospel tells the story of Jesus in a slightly different way."
"He read a passage from the Gospel of John at the wedding."
"The reading was taken from the Gospel of Luke."
2
Something regarded as absolutely true or authoritative.
"She treats the manual as gospel and never changes a single step."
"What the guidebook says isn't always gospel, so check for yourself."
"Don't take everything he says as gospel."
3
A genre of religious music rooted in African American Christian tradition, marked by passionate vocals and call-and-response.
"On Sundays, the church hall rings with gospel and clapping hands."
"She grew up singing gospel in her grandmother's choir."
"The choir closed the service with a rousing gospel number."
How to use gospel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLiterally the New Testament books about Jesus's life; more loosely, anything treated as unquestionably true, or a genre of soulful religious music.
Common pairings
take it as gospel
gospel truth
gospel choir
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Word forms
- Plural
- gospels
- Third person singular
- gospels
- Past tense
- gospeled, gospelled
Fill the gap
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Each _____ tells the story of Jesus in a slightly different way.
Etymology
From Old English godspell, literally "good news" (god + spell, "story"), coined to translate the Greek euangélion — the source of the English word "evangel."
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “gospel” mean?
The word “gospel” means any of the four New Testament books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) recounting the life and teachings of Jesus. In plain terms, literally the New Testament books about Jesus's life; more loosely, anything treated as unquestionably true, or a genre of soulful religious music.
How do you pronounce “gospel”?
“Gospel” is pronounced GOS-puhl (/ˈɡɑspəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “gospel” in a sentence?
Here is “gospel” used in a sentence: “The reading was taken from the Gospel of Luke.”
What is another word for “gospel”?
Words with a similar meaning to “gospel” include evangel.
What part of speech is “gospel”?
“Gospel” is a noun.
Where does the word “gospel” come from?
The word “gospel” comes from Old English. From Old English godspell, literally "good news" (god + spell, "story"), coined to translate the Greek euangélion — the source of the English word "evangel.".
Is “gospel” a common word?
“Gospel” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “gospel” have?
“Gospel” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: any of the four New Testament books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) recounting the life and teachings of Jesus.
What are the four Gospels?
The four Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the New Testament books that recount the life and teachings of Jesus. They are traditionally named after their attributed authors.
Why is Gospel sometimes capitalized and sometimes not?
Gospel is usually capitalized when it refers to one of the four New Testament books, as in the Gospel of Mark. It is normally lowercase in the figurative sense of something regarded as absolutely true or authoritative.
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