holy orders


noun
  1. (used with a singular verb) the rite or sacrament of ordination.

  2. (used with a singular verb) the rank or status of an ordained Christian minister.

  1. (used with a plural verb) the major degrees or grades of the Christian ministry.

Origin of holy orders

1
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use holy orders in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for holy orders

holy orders

pl n
  1. the sacrament or rite whereby a person is admitted to the Christian ministry

  2. the grades of the Christian ministry

  1. the rank or status of an ordained Christian minister

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