pastor
Americannoun
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a minister or priest in charge of a church.
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a person having spiritual care of a number of persons.
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Ornithology. any of various starlings, especially Sturnus roseus rosy pastor of Europe and Asia.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a clergyman or priest in charge of a congregation
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a person who exercises spiritual guidance over a number of people
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an archaic word for shepherd
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Also called: rosy pastor. a S Asian starling, Sturnus roseus, having glossy black head and wings and a pale pink body
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of pastor
1325–75; < Latin pāstor shepherd, literally, feeder, equivalent to pās-, base of pāscere to put to pasture, feed + -tor -tor; replacing Middle English pastour < Anglo-French
Explanation
A pastor is someone with the authority to lead religious services. Pastors lead church services and help others worship. Pastor is a religious title used mostly in Christian churches. The pastor is a leader within a church who has been ordained and therefore given the authority to conduct religious services. The pastor leads Sunday mass and other types of rituals, such as funerals. Members of the congregation may seek a pastor for advice. Within a religious community, a pastor is someone respected very much.
Vocabulary lists containing pastor
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"The Red Shoes" by Hans Christian Andersen
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Multiple creators shared photos of Pastor Carl Ruby, whose church has welcomed Haitian congregants.
From Salon • Feb. 14, 2026
For Pastor George Rowe of the Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church, the community's response since Tuesday may ultimately serve to highlight its strength.
From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026
One, Pastor James Sekeya, posted a series of pro-Chakwera, pro-dog videos, including one viewed more than 12,600 times—a sizable audience in a country where just 8% of the population uses social media.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026
The family is already worn down from "the uncertainty of not knowing where Pastor Raymond is… it's like we are frozen in grief and we can't move on".
From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025
Sometimes Pastor JP because of the bow ties.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
