Meaning & use
dominee
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Meaning
nouncountableregional
a minister or pastor, especially in the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa
Grammar: Countable noun; use 'a dominee' for one, and 'dominees' for more than one.
Patterns
- a dominee
- the dominee
- become a dominee
The dominee led the Sunday service in Afrikaans.
Her grandfather was a dominee in a small farming town.
After the sermon, the dominee greeted everyone at the door.
Word forms
| plural | dominees |
|---|
Common combinations
- the local dominee
- The local dominee visited the sick members of the congregation.
- Dutch Reformed dominee
- He trained to become a Dutch Reformed dominee.
- dominee's sermon
- The dominee's sermon was about forgiveness.
Synonyms and how they differ
- minister
- The general English word for a religious leader; it is used everywhere, while 'dominee' is specific to South Africa.
- pastor
- Common in many Protestant churches; 'dominee' is the Dutch Reformed Church equivalent.
- preacher
- Focuses on the person who gives sermons, not necessarily the official church leader.
Commonly confused: dominee or dominie?
dominee vs dominie
A Scottish word for a schoolmaster or minister; it sounds similar but is used in a different region and tradition.
Practice
In South Africa, a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church is often called a ___.
Choose one answer.
'Dominee' is the correct term. 'Domino' is a game piece or a mask, 'dominion' means control or territory, and 'dormitory' is a building where people sleep.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dominee”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.