priest

American  

[preest] / prist /

noun

priests plural

1. a person whose office it is to perform religious rites, and especially to make sacrificial offerings.

2. (in Christian use)

   1. a person ordained to the sacerdotal or pastoral office; a member of the clergy; minister.

   2. (in hierarchical churches) a member of the clergy of the order next below that of bishop, authorized to carry out the Christian ministry.

3. a minister of any religion.

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verb (used with object)

1. to ordain as a priest.

priest British  

/ priːst /

noun

1. Christianity a person ordained to act as a mediator between God and man in administering the sacraments, preaching, blessing, guiding, etc

2. (in episcopal Churches) a minister in the second grade of the hierarchy of holy orders, ranking below a bishop but above a deacon

3. a minister of any religion

4. Judaism a descendant of the family of Aaron who has certain privileges in the synagogue service

5. (in some non-Christian religions) an official who offers sacrifice on behalf of the people and performs other religious ceremonies

6. (sometimes capital) a variety of fancy pigeon having a bald pate with a crest or peak at the back of the head

7. angling a small club used to kill fish caught

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verb

1. to make a priest; ordain

priest Cultural  

1. One who is designated an authority on religious matters. In some churches, especially the Anglican Communion, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Roman Catholic Church, the ordained church leader who serves a congregation of believers is called a priest. The priests in these churches administer the sacraments, preach, and care for the needs of their congregations. (See also minister and pastor.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underpriest
  noun
• antipriest
  adjective
• priestless
  adjective
• priestlike
  adjective
• unpriestlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• priests
  plural

Etymology

Origin of priest

before 900; Middle English prest ( e ), priest, Old English prēost, ultimately < Late Latin presbyter presbyter

Explanation

A priest is a religious figure who performs ceremonies, particularly in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Orthodox church. During a Catholic baptism, a priest sprinkles holy water on a baby's head. Though priests are often thought of as Christian, there are other religions with priests, including some branches of Shintoism and Hinduism. Priests often lead religious services, perform weddings and other religious rites, and in many cases work full time for their churches. Priest comes from the Old English prēost, and it shares a root with Presbyterian, the Greek presbyteros, "an elder."

Example Sentences

Lopez was known as a jovial "street priest" working with the poor and later became a leader of his missionary Salesian order in Paraguay, Bolivia and in Spain.

From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026

Anderson, who has fought in the courts for decades for priest accountability, said “This is unprecedented, and this gives me hope.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026

TV viewers saw her last in Channel 4's The Falling, starring Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu, about a nun and Catholic priest who fall in love.

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026

The new priest, Dillon Scott Vita, is the son of one of my college roommates, Bill, and his wife, Eileen.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026

When the administrators at Carville ask the priest for an explanation, he tells them that he wants nothing to do with her.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

• cleric
• elder
• father
• friar
• lama
• monk
• preacher
• rector