priest - Definitions from Dictionary.com

11 results for: priest

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

priest

Audio Help [preest] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	a person whose office it is to perform religious rites, and esp. to make sacrificial offerings.

(in Christian use)

a.	a person ordained to the sacerdotal or pastoral office; a member of the clergy; minister.

b.	(in hierarchical churches) a member of the clergy of the order next below that of bishop, authorized to carry out the Christian ministry.

3.	a minister of any religion.

–verb (used with object)

4.	to ordain as a priest.

[Origin: bef. 900; ME prest(e), priest, OE préost, ult. < LL presbyter presbyter

]

—Related forms

priestless, adjective

priestlike, adjective, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
priest

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

priest Audio Help (prēst) Pronunciation Key
n.

In many Christian churches, a member of the second grade of clergy ranking below a bishop but above a deacon and having authority to administer the sacraments.
A person having the authority to perform and administer religious rites.

tr.v. priest·ed, priest·ing, priests
To ordain or admit to the priesthood.

[Middle English preost, from Old English prēost, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *prester (from Late Latin presbyter; see presbyter) or from West Germanic *prēvost (from Latin praepositus, superintendent; see provost).]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
priest

O.E. preost, shortened from the older Gmc. form represented by O.S., O.H.G. prestar, O.Fris. prestere, from V.L. *prester "priest," from L.L. presbyter "presbyter, elder," from Gk. presbyteros (see Presbyterian). In O.T. sense, a transl. of Heb. kohen, Gk. hiereus, L. sacerdos. Priesthood is O.E. preosthad. Priestcraft originally was "the business of being a priest" (1483); after rise of Protestantism and the Enlightenment, it acquired a pejorative sense of "arts of ambitious priests for temporal power and social control" (1681).

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

priest
noun
1.	a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders
2.	a person who performs religious duties and ceremonies in a non-Christian religion

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
priest1 [priːst] noun

(in the Christian Church, especially the Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches) a clergyman

Arabic:	كاهِن، قِسّيس
Chinese (Simplified):	教士，牧师，神父
Chinese (Traditional):	教士，牧師，神父
Czech:	kněz
Danish:	præst
Dutch:	priester
Estonian:	preester
Finnish:	pappi
French:	prêtre
German:	der Priester
Greek:	ιερέας, παπάς
Hungarian:	pap
Icelandic:	prestur
Indonesian:	pejabat gereja
Italian:	prete

Japanese:	牧師
Korean:	성직자, 신부
Latvian:	priesteris; mācītājs
Lithuanian:	kunigas
Norwegian:	prest
Polish:	ksiądz
Portuguese (Brazil):	padre
Portuguese (Portugal):	padre
Romanian:	preot
Russian:	священник
Slovak:	kňaz
Slovenian:	duhovnik
Spanish:	cura
Swedish:	präst
Turkish:	papaz, rahip

priest2 [priːst] noun

(feminine ˈpriestess) (in non-Christian religions) an official who performs sacrifices etc to the god(s)

Arabic:	كاهِنَه
Chinese (Simplified):	祭司
Chinese (Traditional):	祭司
Czech:	duchovní
Danish:	præst
Dutch:	priester
Estonian:	preester
Finnish:	pappi
French:	prêtre, esse
German:	der, *die Priester(in)
Greek:	ιερέας, ιέρεια
Hungarian:	pap
Icelandic:	kvenprestur; hofgyðja
Indonesian:	pendeta
Italian:	prete, sacerdore

Japanese:	聖職者
Korean:	봉사자
Latvian:	priesteris; vaidelotis
Lithuanian:	vaidila, žynys
Norwegian:	prestinne; gydje
Polish:	kapłan
Portuguese (Brazil):	sacerdote
Portuguese (Portugal):	sacerdote
Romanian:	preoteasă
Russian:	жрица
Slovak:	duchovný
Slovenian:	svečenik, svečenica
Spanish:	sacerdote; sacerdotisa
Swedish:	prästinna
Turkish:	rahip, din görevlisi

See also: priesthood

American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
priest

One who is designated an authority on religious matters. In some churches, especially the Anglican Communion, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Roman Catholic Church, the ordained church leader who serves a congregation of believers is called a priest. The priests in these churches administer the sacraments, preach, and care for the needs of their congregations. (See also minister and pastor.)

[Chapter:] World Literature, Philosophy, and Religion

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Priest River, ID (city, FIPS 65530) Location: 48.18514 N, 116.91011 W
Population (1990): 1560 (699 housing units)
Area: 3.6 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 83856

Priest Point, WA (CDP, FIPS 56304) Location: 48.03691 N, 122.24973 W
Population (1990): 703 (313 housing units)
Area: 2.5 sq km (land), 7.3 sq km (water)

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Priest

Pres"by*ter\, n. [L. an elder, fr. Gr. ?. See Priest.]

1. An elder in the early Christian church. See 2d Citation under Bishop, n., 1.

2. (Ch. of Eng. & Prot. Epis. Ch.) One ordained to the second order in the ministry; -- called also priest.

I rather term the one sort presbyter than priest. --Hooker.

New presbyter is but old priest writ large. --Milton.

3. (Presbyterian Ch.) A member of a presbytery whether lay or clerical.

4. A Presbyterian. [Obs.] --Hudibras.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

priest