Jump To:

• presbyterian
  presbyterian

  adjective

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

  adjective

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

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.

---

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

---

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

---

noun

1. an upholder of this type of Church government

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of presbyterian

First recorded in 1635–45; presbytery + -an

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

presbyterian Presbyterian

Does she have a point that her denomination, the presbyterian Free Church of Scotland - which is often described as socially conservative or even fundamentalist - is not alone in its teachings?

From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2023

St Giles' has seen strong Scots women before: Jenny Geddes, in a burst of presbyterian fervour, threw a stool at the minister in the 17th century for daring to introduce an Anglican-tinged prayer book.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 17, 2014

Mack, a pastor at St Andrew's presbyterian church in Saint-Lambert, is a longtime friend of Chassagne's father.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 29, 2013

The presbyterian atmosphere of Sutherland's home in her native Sydney was the result of her father William McDonald Sutherland's being a Scots immigrant.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 11, 2010

The episcopal and presbyterian churches we also passed; both are plain buildings.

From The South-West By a Yankee. In Two Volumes. Volume 1 by Joseph Holt Ingraham

Meanwhile, Presbyterian Health Plan will exit more Medicare Advantage markets in 2027, disrupting about 30,000 subscribers.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

The Northern Ireland Survivor Council had expressed "serious concern" about Gamble's involvement because his company is also undertaking a review into the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

Its leader is Presbyterian seminarian Richard Ackerman, 23, known online as Redeemed Zoomer or RZ.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

The 37-year-old former Presbyterian seminarian and middle school teacher is aiming to become the first Texas Democrat to win a Senate seat in three decades.

From Barron's ● Jun. 13, 2026

His parents are on the way, they’re like a quick taxi from Presbyterian Hospital.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera