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 ( see paroicous); see -ia

Explanation

A parish is a local church community that has one main church and one pastor. Parish members do more than just attend church. They organize community activities, social events, and — very important — coffee and donuts on Sunday mornings. A parish is technically a piece of land. It’s a section of a diocese that has the right number of churchgoers to have its own church. But when you refer to a parish, you’re usually talking about more than the space itself. You're describing the people who attend the church, as well as the church property. So if someone says, "Our parish is thriving," it means there's a full congregation and enough funds to maintain the church in good condition.

Example Sentences

Currently, the law subsidizes 83 ADA positions for Orleans Parish.

From Slate • May 5, 2026

In 2007, a former Orleans Parish School Board president pleaded guilty to taking some $140,000 in kickbacks from a JRL salesman in return for purchasing $14 million in I CAN Learn contracts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

They ranged in age from 3 to 11, according to the Caddo Parish coroner's office.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

On the same night he tied Robert Parish for the NBA record in regular-season games played, ageless wonder LeBron James had a 19-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in Thursday’s 134-126 win over the Miami Heat.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

Parish leaders used the pulpit to lend “the arm of the Church to what we believe is a righteous cause.”

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

Related Words

• church