archpriest

[ ahrch-preest ]
See synonyms for archpriest on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a priest holding first rank, as among the members of a cathedral chapter or among the clergy of a district outside the episcopal city.

  2. 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 a priest acting as superior of the Roman Catholic secular clergy in England, first appointed in 1598 and superseded by a vicar apostolic in 1623.

Origin of archpriest

1
1350–1400; Middle English archeprest (modeled on Late Latin archipresbyter<Greek archipresbýteros). See arch-1, priest

Other words from archpriest

  • archpriesthood, noun
  • archpriestship, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for archpriest

archpriest

/ (ˈɑːtʃˈpriːst) /


nounChristianity
  1. (formerly) a chief assistant to a bishop, performing many of his sacerdotal functions during his absence

  2. a senior priest

Derived forms of archpriest

  • archpriesthood or archpriestship, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012