vicar-general

[ vik-er-jen-er-uhl ]

/ ˈvɪk ərˈdʒɛn ər əl /

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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.

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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