parish

American  

[par-ish] / ˈpær ɪʃ /

noun

1. an ecclesiastical district having its own church and member of the clergy.

2. a local church with its field of activity.

3. (in Louisiana) a county.

4. the people of an ecclesiastical or civil parish.

5. Curling. house.

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idioms

1. on the parish,

   1. receiving charity from local authorities.

   2. Informal. meagerly or inadequately supplied.

parish British  

/ ˈpærɪʃ /

noun

1. a subdivision of a diocese, having its own church and a clergyman

2. the churchgoers of such a subdivision

3. (in England and, formerly, Wales) the smallest unit of local government in rural areas

4. (in Louisiana) a unit of local government corresponding to a county in other states of the US

5. the people living in a parish

6. history receiving parochial relief

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Other Word Forms

• interparish adjective
• transparish adjective

Etymology

Origin of parish

1250–1300; Middle English, variant of parosshe < Middle French paroisse < Late Latin parochia, alteration of paroecia < Late Greek paroikía, derivative of Greek pároikos neighbor, (in Christian usage) sojourner ( paroicous ); -ia

Example Sentences

QLAYAA, Lebanon — The bells rang, their peals obscuring the buzz of the Israeli drone overhead as the casket of Father Pierre al-Rahi arrived at the parish he had served.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

In my five years as bishop of Joliet, our diocese went through a restructuring that required parish mergers and hard decisions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

Jayes is also on the parish council "for my sins", he says with a wry smile.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

It comes after $3 million of earlier assistance, also provided through the same mechanisms, with the material aid being delivered by local parish representatives.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

No. She gets a letter from the parish priest.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

Related Words

• church