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

These sites, often located on parish boundaries, represent a marginalised sector of medieval society.

From BBC

Mr. Butler-Gallie, a parish priest in the Cotswolds in England and the author of “A Field Guide to the English Clergy,” is literate and entertaining.

From The Wall Street Journal

Borough and parish councillors had objected to the site as "environmentally damaging" and because of the amount of light it generated at night.

From BBC

But the economic benefits of Hollywood rolling into town would have been felt far beyond this woodland parish.

From BBC

But though few expect change to come so quickly, the visit is still important, said a Maronite parish priest, Father Tony Elias, from Rmeish, a village located just across the border from Israel.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• church