Priestley

American  

[preest-lee] / ˈprist li /

noun

1. J(ohn) B(oynton) 1894–1984, English novelist.

2. Joseph, 1733–1804, English chemist, author, and clergyman.

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Priestley British  

/ ˈpriːstlɪ /

noun

1. J ( ohn ) B ( oynton ). 1894–1984, English author. His works include the novels The Good Companions (1929) and Angel Pavement (1930) and the play An Inspector Calls (1946)

2. Joseph. 1733–1804, English chemist, political theorist, and clergyman, in the US from 1794. He discovered oxygen (1774) independently of Scheele and isolated and described many other gases

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Priestley Scientific  

/ prēst′lē /

1. British chemist who discovered oxygen (1774) and 10 other gases, including hydrogen chloride, sulphur dioxide, and ammonia.

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Example Sentences

"He seemed quite receptive," she says, claiming Priestley assured her the deposit would be returned.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Dr. Priestley said: "This was a really fun project to work on in my PhD, and I hope this research brings more attention to the importance of sugars in the immune system."

From Science Daily • Feb. 25, 2026

"They are looking for the underdog to win, but they're all going to be underdogs when they play Luke Littler," two-time world champion Dennis Priestley told BBC Radio 5 Live.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

Viewers might remember the scene where Meryl Streep’s fashion magazine editrix Miranda Priestley purses her lips at one of the ugliest dresses she’s seen in years, during a preview of a designer’s new collection.

From Salon • Sep. 17, 2025

Instead credit went to Joseph Priestley, who discovered the same element independently, but latterly, in the summer of 1774.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson