Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A major prophet in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament: Jeremiah is a significant prophetic figure in Judeo-Christian tradition, known for his ministry in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BC, during the decline and fall of the Kingdom of Judah.
   • The biblical book containing his prophecies: "Jeremiah" is also the name of the book of the Old Testament that records his oracles, laments, and narratives.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun (Person):
  • The prophet Jeremiah warned of Jerusalem's destruction.
  • Jeremiah is often called the "weeping prophet" due to the sorrowful tone of his messages.
• Proper noun (Book):
  • The Book of Jeremiah is one of the Major Prophets in the Old Testament.
  • We studied the call of Jeremiah in chapter 1.

Advanced Usage

• Jeremiad (noun): A prolonged lamentation or complaint; a cautionary or angry harangue. This term derives from the prophet's name due to the tone of his writings.
  • The editorial was a jeremiad against modern political corruption.
• Jeremian (adjective): Pertaining to the prophet Jeremiah or characteristic of his writings.
  • The sermon had a Jeremian tone of warning and repentance.

Variants and Related Words

• Jeremiad: As defined above, a literary work or speech expressing a bitter lament or a dire warning.
• Jeremian: The adjectival form.

Synonyms

• Prophet: A person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God.
• Seer: A prophet; someone who foresees future events.
• Cassandra: (In a secular, classical sense) A prophet of doom whose accurate warnings are not believed. This is a near-synonym in terms of function, though from a different tradition.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• A voice of Jeremiah: Used to describe someone who issues persistent warnings about societal or moral decline, often unheeded.
  • In his critiques of the industry, he became a voice of Jeremiah.
• Weeping like Jeremiah: To lament or express grief profoundly.
  • She was weeping like Jeremiah over the lost opportunities.

Noun

1. a book in the Old Testament containing the oracles of the prophet Jeremiah
2. (Old Testament) an Israelite prophet who is remembered for his angry lamentations (jeremiads) about the wickedness of his people (circa 626-587 BC)