presbyterian

American  

[prez-bi-teer-ee-uhn, pres-] / ˌprɛz bɪˈtɪər i ən, ˌprɛs- /

adjective

1. pertaining to or based on the principle of ecclesiastical government by presbyters or presbyteries.

2. (initial capital letter) designating or pertaining to various churches having this form of government and professing more or less modified forms of Calvinism.

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noun

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

Presbyterian ¹ British  

/ ˌprɛzbɪˈtɪərɪən /

adjective

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

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noun

1. a member of a Presbyterian Church

presbyterian ² British  

/ ˌprɛzbɪˈtɪərɪən /

adjective

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

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noun

1. an upholder of this type of Church government

Other Word Forms

• Presbyterianism noun
• non-Presbyterian adjective
• presbyterianism noun
• presbyterianistic adjective
• pro-Presbyterian adjective
• pseudo-Presbyterian adjective

Etymology

Origin of presbyterian

First recorded in 1635–45; presbytery + -an

Example Sentences

While Mamdani’s fall win got local progressives dreaming about one day doing the same in Los Angeles, the prospect of a strong challenger from the left in this mayoral cycle was considered so unlikely that DSA-LA didn’t have candidate Rae Huang — a dues-paying member and Presbyterian minister — speak at the Immanuel gathering since she couldn’t gather enough signatures to make her case for an endorsement in the fall.

From Los Angeles Times

"We love Nancy and we're praying for Nancy," said Ed Coates from St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, which Nancy has attended in the past.

From BBC

Margaret Ann Shriver was born in North Carolina to a homemaker mother who later worked for the National Council of Churches and a Presbyterian minister, later the president of Union Theological Seminary.

From The Wall Street Journal

He eventually married a Catholic and raised his children Presbyterian.

From The Wall Street Journal

The hymn, reprinted in hymnbooks since the late 18th century, is still sung by many Presbyterian and Baptist congregations in the U.S. and the U.K.

From The Wall Street Journal