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

See Examples For:

priest priests

"We hope this place will bear the fruits of a deeper return to faith, or at least help people deepen their faith," said the parish priest Marek Mrowczynski.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

“They knew the risks,” said Father Rigoberto Cruz, a local Catholic priest, of the dead.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

Gerry’s best friend was a Catholic priest known as Father Dan, a bland-seeming cleric whose family is connected to organized crime.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

With a Bible in his hand, a Mexican priest offers prayers where the bodies lie.

From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026

The man who was inspiring the protests was a priest named Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

We learned about the annual return of swallows, admired blooming roses and citrus trees and absorbed a simple story: Spanish conquistadors and Catholic priests tamed a wild land, and we should follow their example.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026

The society says it is present in more than 75 countries across six continents, with more than 750 priests and around 600,000 faithful.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

It isn’t quite “Man Bites Dog,” but given how few men become priests these days, it’s close.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

Several Catholic priests told the news agency they had been asked to ration the wafers, which are offered to the faithful as part of Mass.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

Hence, after Italy came almost entirely into the hands of the Church and of several republics, those priests and other citizens who were not accustomed to bearing arms began to hire foreigners.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli

Related Words

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