Meaning & use
priest
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Meanings
nouncountablereligion
A person who has been ordained to lead worship and perform sacred rites, especially in the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches.
Grammar: Often used as a title before a name, as in Father.
Patterns
- a parish priest
- ordained as a priest
The priest blessed the new bell at the church.
She was ordained as a priest after four years of study.
The village priest visited sick members each week.
nouncountablereligion
A person who performs religious ceremonies in any faith, such as an ancient or non-Christian religion.
Grammar: Used for religious leaders in many traditions.
Patterns
- a temple priest
- a high priest
The high priest led the ceremony at the temple.
In ancient Egypt, a priest cared for the statue of the god.
Word forms
| plural | priests |
|---|
Common combinations
- parish priest
- The parish priest welcomed newcomers after the service.
- ordained priest
- An ordained priest can perform the sacraments.
- high priest
- The high priest entered the sanctuary once a year.
- Catholic priest
- A Catholic priest hears confessions on Saturdays.
- village priest
- The village priest taught the children to read.
Synonyms and how they differ
- clergyman
- Clergyman is a broader term for male ministers of any Christian church, while priest is limited to particular traditions.
- minister
- Minister is used in many Protestant churches and does not necessarily mean the person performs sacred rites.
- pastor
- Pastor stresses care of a congregation and is more common in Protestant churches.
- cleric
- Cleric is a formal word that covers any ordained religious official.
Opposites
Word family
- priesthood noun
- the office of a priest or priests as a group
- priestly adjective
- relating to or typical of a priest
- priestess noun
- a woman who performs rites in some religions
- priestcraft noun
- the work or influence of priests, often used critically
Commonly confused: priest or prophet? priest or pastor?
priest vs prophet
A prophet speaks messages believed to come from God, while a priest leads ceremonies and worship.
priest vs pastor
A pastor leads a congregation, mostly in Protestant churches, while a priest is ordained for sacred rites.
Practice
In a Catholic church, the person who hears confessions and celebrates mass is called a ____.
Choose one answer.
A priest is ordained to lead worship and perform rites. A prophet delivers divine messages, a preacher gives sermons, and a poet writes verse.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “priest”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.