presbyterian

[ prez-bi-teer-ee-uhn, pres- ]

adjective

pertaining to or based on the principle of ecclesiastical government by presbyters or presbyteries.
(initial capital letter) designating or pertaining to various churches having this form of government and professing more or less modified forms of Calvinism.

noun

(initial capital letter) a member of a Presbyterian church; a person who supports Presbyterianism.

Origin of presbyterian

First recorded in 1635–45; presbytery + -an

Other words from presbyterian

non-Pres·by·te·ri·an, adjective, noun
pro-Pres·by·te·ri·an, adjective, noun
pseu·do-Pres·by·te·ri·an, adjective, noun

Words Nearby presbyterian

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use presbyterian in a sentence

“The captain said there was a person on board who worked in a lab at Texas Health presbyterian,” Lupher said.
Inside the Cruise Ship Quarantined Over Ebola Fear | Carol McKinley | October 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
That and incompetence at the Texas Health presbyterian Hospital may have caused the deadly disease to spread.
Rick Perry Avoided Ebola Like the Plague | Olivia Nuzzi | October 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Paul employed his wife, a deacon in their Bowling Green presbyterian church, for damage control.
Is Rand Paul Christian Enough for the GOP? | Olivia Nuzzi | August 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Neyoy is the first immigrant to take sanctuary at Southside presbyterian in over 30 years.
This Church Is Reviving the Sanctuary Movement to Shelter Undocumented Immigrants From Deportation | Caitlin Dickson | June 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
His father was an immigrant Scottish presbyterian minister and had kept his older son at home and educated him himself.
Pete Dexter’s Indelible Portrait of Author Norman Maclean | Pete Dexter | March 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Vincent Alsop died; a presbyterian clergyman, who attacked Dr. Sherlock with great wit and some seriousness.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel Munsell
They have an old Cathedral here (now presbyterian) of which the citizens seem quite proud, I can't perceive why.
Glances at Europe | Horace Greeley
In the presbyterian Church under the care of Mr. Ellis are 39 communicants.
The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States | Martin R. Delany
And, above all, it is necessary that the Free presbyterian Church should have regard to explicit solemn covenant obligations.
The Ordinance of Covenanting | John Cunningham
Mr. Palfrey terms this attempt a "presbyterian cabal," and calls its leaders "conspirators."
The Loyalists of America and Their Times, Vol. 1 of 2 | Egerton Ryerson

British Dictionary definitions for presbyterian (1 of 2)

presbyterian

/ (ˌprɛzbɪˈtɪərɪən) /

adjective

of, relating to, or designating Church government by presbyters or lay elders

noun

an upholder of this type of Church government

Derived forms of presbyterian

presbyterianism, noun
presbyterianistic, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for Presbyterian (2 of 2)

Presbyterian

/ (ˌprɛzbɪˈtɪərɪən) /

adjective

of or relating to any of various Protestant Churches governed by presbyters or lay elders and adhering to various modified forms of Calvinism

noun

a member of a Presbyterian Church

Derived forms of Presbyterian

Presbyterianism, noun

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

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