adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of priestly
before 1000; Middle English prestli, Old English prēostlic. See priest, -ly
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.
The text also sheds light on women's roles in Babylon, including priestly duties that were previously undocumented.
From Science Daily • Nov. 11, 2025
“This one’s special. Our nation’s leader is honoring our Pops, our father, and I don’t say father in a priestly way,” Verdugo said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2024
Each paragraph passed with the necessary two-thirds majority, but the ones involving women and priestly celibacy obtained the most “no” votes.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 28, 2023
Six feet one and heavyset, with a slight stoop and closely cropped white hair, Moretta favors black button-down shirts or white guayaberas when not in his priestly cassock.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2023
Even in the priestly garb, his loping, comfortable gait pulled my eyes and held them.
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
