pulpit
pul·pit/ˈpʊlpɪt/noun
pulpit is spelled P-U-L-P-I-T: 6 letters and 2 syllables (pul·pit). It appears 1.7 times per million words in written English, the 21,516th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, pulpit means “A raised platform in a church, sometimes enclosed, where the minister or preacher stands when giving the sermon; also, the lectern on such a platform” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of pulpit is pulpits.
How many letters and syllables are in pulpit?
| Letters | 6: P-U-L-P-I-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: pul·pit |
| In writing | 1.7 times per million words; the 21,516th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is pulpit?
Pulpit appears 1.7 times per million words in written English, the 21,516th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce pulpit?
- US /ˈpʊlpɪt/
- US /ˈpʌlpɪt/
- /ˈpʉlpɪt/
Pulpit has 2 syllables, split pul·pit in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-pulpit.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of pulpit
- pulpits plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does pulpit mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A raised platform in a church, sometimes enclosed, where the minister or preacher stands when giving the sermon; also, the lectern on such a platform.
- 2
Activity associated with or usually performed from a church pulpit; preaching, sermons, religious teaching.
- 3
The preaching profession, office, or role in general; the pastorate, the priesthood, the ministry.
- 4
Preachers collectively; clergy; the priesthood.
- 5
An individual or particular preaching position or role; a pastorate.
He seems like too timid a man to fill the pulpit at such a large church.
- 6
Bully pulpit.
- 7
Any lectern, podium, dais, or platform for an orator or public speaker.
- 8
The railing at the bow of a boat, which sometimes extends past the deck; also called bow pulpit. The railing at the stern is sometimes called the stern pulpit or the pushpit.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Pulpit in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense raised platform in church:
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does pulpit come from?
From Middle English pulpit, from Old French pulpite and Latin pulpitum (“platform”). Doublet of pulpitum and polypus. Piecewise doublet of polypod.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).