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Synonyms

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.

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

"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

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

Cornwall Council said that as of 28 February 2026 there were 1,002 second homes, out of a total 6,604 council tax accounts in the parish.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 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

The parish priest said the paintings had simply been touched up following recent water damage - but said he did not "understand the fuss" in any case.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

The minister he was assisting, he wrote, had turned the parish calling over to him: it was a wealthy congregation and large contributors expected frequent and unhurried visits from the clergy.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

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.