reverend

[rev-er-uh nd, rev-ruh nd]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR reverend ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

(initial capital letter) (used as a title of respect applied or prefixed to the name of a member of the clergy or a religious order): Reverend Timothy Cranshaw; Reverend Mother.

worthy to be revered; entitled to reverence.

pertaining to or characteristic of the clergy.

noun

Informal. a member of the clergy.

Origin of reverend

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin reverendus worthy of being revered, gerund of reverērī to revere¹

Related formsrev·er·end·ship, noun

Can be confusedreverend reverent

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for reverend

clergy, clergyman, clerical, minister, monsignor, parson, priest, divine, holy, sacred, venerable

Examples from the Web for reverend

Contemporary Examples of reverend

For Paul, the thrill of breakfast with the Reverend, may be giving way to the taste of burnt toast.
GOP Won’t Forgive Rand for Cop Critique
Lloyd Green
December 23, 2014
This week the Church of England named the Reverend Libby Lane as its first female bishop.
First Anglican Woman Bishop A Return to Christian Roots
Candida Moss
December 18, 2014
Percy Heath, a merry fellow, specialized in leading the Reverend Professor Doctor astray and had a lot of fun with him.
The Stacks: H.L. Mencken on the 1904 Baltimore Fire
H.L. Mencken
October 4, 2014
As Sharpton now visited Tupac in prison, the rapper told him that his jailhouse friend was not a big fan of the reverend.
Tupac Shakur’s Race-Killer Prison Pal Talks
Michael Daly
July 29, 2014
One of the heroes calls Christianity a 'fairy tale'—and one of the villains is a reverend.
‘True Detective’s’ Godless Universe: Is the HBO Show Anti-Christian?
Andrew Romano
March 6, 2014

Historical Examples of reverend

But every body else was there, so we did not miss these grave and reverend seigniors.
Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 6, May 7, 1870
Various
The Reverend Cecil had not the habit of shirking any duty because he happened to dislike it.
The Incomplete Amorist
E. Nesbit
"I hope I shall have strength given me to do my duty," said the Reverend Cecil.
The Incomplete Amorist
E. Nesbit
The Reverend Farouche, therefore, holds a secret conference with her father.
The Book of Khalid
Ameen Rihani
It was his fellow-curate, the Reverend Golightly, who was still waiting to deliver his message.
The Christian
Hall Caine

British Dictionary definitions for reverend

reverend

adjective

worthy of reverence

relating to or designating a clergyman or the clergy

noun

informal a clergyman

Word Origin for reverend

C15: from Latin reverendus fit to be revered; see revere

Reverend

adjective

a title of respect for a clergymanAbbreviations: Rev., Revd See also Very Reverend, Right Reverend, Most Reverend

usage

Reverend with a surname alone (Reverend Smith), as a term of address (``Yes, Reverend''), or in the salutation of a letter (Dear Rev. Mr Smith) are all generally considered to be wrong usage. Preferred are (the) Reverend John Smith or Reverend Mr Smith and Dear Mr Smith

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for reverend

adj.

early 15c., "worthy of respect," from Middle French reverend, from Latin reverendus "(he who is) to be respected," gerundive of revereri (see reverence). As a form of address for clergymen, it is attested from late 15c.; earlier reverent (late 14c. in this sense). Abbreviation Rev. is attested from 1721, earlier Revd. (1690s). Very Reverend is used of deans, Right Reverend of bishops, Most Reverend of archbishops.

"clergyman," c.1500, from reverend (adj.).