priest

[preest]

noun

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.

verb (used with object)

1. to ordain as a priest.

priest

/ 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

verb

1. to make a priest; ordain

priest

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.)

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of priest¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of priest¹

Old English prēost, apparently from _presbyter ; related to Old High German prēster, Old French prestre

Example Sentences

And the phenomenon continues—nowhere more obviously than in Romania, where, in 2019, an Orthodox priest was prosecuted for his alleged role in exhuming and impaling a corpse.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

For Hickey, who uses they/them pronouns, the drive to see such a policy adopted worldwide is personal, as the Canadian said they were abused by a priest who was then shuffled between parishes.

Read more on BBC

He’s a priest who swirls his vodka and tonic with his finger.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The project's co-organiser, Catholic priest Alexis Leproux from Marseille, said every day the youth exchange views on topics as varied as the environment, economy, role of women, education and cultural dialogue.

Read more on Barron's

At the start of the film, a woodcutter and a priest take shelter from intense rain in the ruins of the mighty Rashomon Gate in Kyoto.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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