vicar-general

[ vik-er-jen-er-uhl ]

/ ˈvɪk ərˈdʒɛn ər əl /

Save This Word!

noun, plural vic·ars-gen·er·al.

Roman Catholic Church. a priest deputized by a bishop to assist him in the administration of a diocese.

Church of England. an ecclesiastical officer, usually a layperson, who assists a bishop or an archbishop in the discharge of his judicial or administrative duties.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of vicar-general

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

OTHER WORDS FROM vicar-general

vic·ar-gen·er·al·ship, noun

Words nearby vicar-general

vicar apostolic, vicarate, vicar capitular, vicar choral, vicar forane, vicar-general, vicarial, vicariance, vicariant, vicariate, vicariate apostolic

How to use vicar-general in a sentence

“They are hypocritical on this very issue,” Shearer said about Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and other public officials.
Harry Shearer on The Dangerous Business of Satire|Lloyd Grove|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It also contains some clunky passages of adultery, temptations of the flesh, and general sexual awkwardness.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Closed courthouses, rogue clerks, and misleading statements from the attorney general as Florida welcomes same-sex marriage.
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over|Jay Michaelson|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“We would just as soon stay away from a group that will create controversy,” the Cubs general manager Sam Bernabe told the paper.
The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise|Jason Berry|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Your general reaction runs along the lines of: “When will these geezers give it up and go for a mall walk or something?”
The World’s Toughest Political Quiz|Jeff Greenfield|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But Mrs. Dodd, the present vicar's wife, retained the precious prerogative of choosing the book to be read at the monthly Dorcas.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
A Yankee, whose face had been mauled in a pot-house brawl, assured General Jackson that he had received his scars in battle.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
In the year of misery, of agony and suffering in general he had endured, he had settled upon one theory.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux
To others the fierce desire for social justice obliterates all fear of a general catastrophe.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
Finally, let me ask the general reader to put aside all prejudice, and give both sides a fair hearing.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford

British Dictionary definitions for vicar-general

vicar general

noun plural vicars general

an official, usually a layman, appointed to assist the bishop of a diocese in discharging his administrative or judicial duties

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