noun
-
the state, order, or office of a priest
-
priests collectively
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of priesthood
before 900; Middle English presthed ( e ), presthod ( e ), Old English prēosthād. See priest, -hood
Explanation
Priesthood is the position of a religious leader, especially one in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Orthodox church. The word is also used to collectively describe all priests. In some churches, priests are the clergy members who lead worship services and perform religious rituals. The word priesthood is often used to talk about them as a whole: "The Catholic priesthood is reserved for men, while women can serve as nuns." An individual priest might define his own priesthood as focused on serving the poor in his community. Priesthood is from priest and its Greek root meaning "elder," and -hood, "state or condition of being."
Vocabulary lists containing priesthood
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr O'Kelly was a father-of-five who studied for the priesthood before becoming a solicitor and moving from Coalisland to Bangor when he began working for the DPP.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
Speaking to Good Morning Ulster Fr Mulgrew said being around his father possibly inspired his call to priesthood.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
A new priesthood has emerged in Silicon Valley.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
And then as I say in the book, I came home and turned on the TV and saw a documentary about Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk, and monastic life and the priesthood.
From Slate ● Feb. 21, 2026
His Self had crawled into this priesthood, into this arrogance, into this intellectuality.
From "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
