noun
-
the office or term of office of a pastor
-
a body of pastors; pastors collectively
Etymology
Origin of pastorate
1785–95; < Medieval Latin pāstōrātus, equivalent to Latin pāstōr-, stem of pāstor ( see pastor) + -ātus -ate 3
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.
He increased the Zion Baptist Church membership from 250 to 3,500 during his pastorate, friends said in a death announcement.
From Washington Post • Apr. 8, 2022
When he was 7, his father accepted the pastorate of a Tacoma church.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 5, 2020
That pastorate started and ended much like his time at Eagle Brook - he doubted himself at the beginning, put his head down, worked hard, prayed hard and saw membership increase drastically.
From Washington Times • Feb. 8, 2020
When he began his pastorate at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, a block from Alabama’s capitol, a sophisticated note crept in.
From Economist • Mar. 28, 2018
From his own assistant pastorate, Karel wrote that he would be there and looked forward to seeing us all again.
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.
