archpriest
Americannoun
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a priest holding first rank, as among the members of a cathedral chapter or among the clergy of a district outside the episcopal city.
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Roman Catholic Church. a priest acting as superior of the Roman Catholic secular clergy in England, first appointed in 1598 and superseded by a vicar apostolic in 1623.
noun
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(formerly) a chief assistant to a bishop, performing many of his sacerdotal functions during his absence
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a senior priest
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of archpriest
1350–1400; Middle English archeprest (modeled on Late Latin archipresbyter < Greek archipresbýteros ). See arch- 1, priest
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.
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the basilica’s archpriest, prayed that the “deceased pope emeritus” might be welcomed into the “eternal abode.”
From Washington Post ● Jan. 2, 2023
A series of bishops, including Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, said they investigated the allegations, but no one ever interviewed Jarzembowski’s roommate.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 12, 2020
A series of bishops — including Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Francis' vicar for Rome and the archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica — said they investigated, but no one ever interviewed the alleged victim.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 29, 2019
Sodano listed the stages of Law’s clerical life and said the late Pope John Paul had “called him to Rome” to be archpriest of a Rome basilica.
From Reuters ● Dec. 21, 2017
The same characters—Lazarillo, the archpriest, the squire, etc.—are here, but their personalities are changed drastically.
From The Life of Lazarillo of Tormes; his fortunes and misfortunes as told by himself by Robert S. Rudder
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.
