pastorate

[pas-ter-it, pah-ster-]

noun

1. the office or term of office of a pastor.

2. a body of pastors.

3. parsonage.

pastorate

/ ˈpɑːstərɪt /

noun

1. the office or term of office of a pastor

2. a body of pastors; pastors collectively

Word History and Origins

Origin of pastorate¹

1785–95; < Medieval Latin pāstōrātus, equivalent to Latin pāstōr-, stem of pāstor ( pastor ) + -ātus -ate ³

Example Sentences

But one of his friends, convinced of his spiritual talents, encouraged Crowley to apply for the open pastorate at Myrtle Baptist — less than 10 miles from the divinity school.

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Erickson said that experience led many of his friends into the pastorate or other Christian work.

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He increased the Zion Baptist Church membership from 250 to 3,500 during his pastorate, friends said in a death announcement.

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His pastorates traversed Minnesota, Montana and North Dakota before he settled in Spokane, where he was renowned for inspiring sermons, a plummy voice and palpable charisma.

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The group says it was the first mainline Protestant denomination to ordain a woman as a minister and the first to ordain an openly gay man to the pastorate.

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Related Words

• priesthood