reverend

Meanings

1. 1nouncountablereligion

   A Christian minister, or the title used for one.

   Grammar: As a title it goes before a name: the Reverend Smith; in speech people often say Reverend Smith.

   Patterns

   • the Reverend + name

   The reverend welcomed everyone at the church door.

   We invited the reverend to bless the new building.

   Reverend Taylor led the funeral service.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounold-fashionedformal

   Deserving great respect, especially because of religious position or age.

   Grammar: Old and formal: a reverend gentleman.

   The reverend father blessed the pilgrims.

   A reverend silence fell over the hall.

   The novel describes a reverend old priest.

Word forms

Common combinations

the Reverend

The Reverend Anna Brown spoke at the wedding.

Very Reverend

The Very Reverend dean welcomed the guests.

Right Reverend

The Right Reverend bishop gave the sermon.

Reverend Mother

The Reverend Mother ran the convent.

local reverend

The local reverend visited the sick.

Synonyms and how they differ

minister

Minister is the general word for a Protestant clergy member, whereas reverend is also a title.

pastor

Pastor means a minister caring for a congregation, a role rather than a title.

priest

Priest is used for Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican clergy, while reverend is used mostly for Protestant ministers.

vicar

Vicar is a British Anglican title for a parish clergy member, narrower than reverend.

Word family

reverence noun

deep respect

revere verb

to respect deeply

reverent adjective

showing deep respect

reverently adverb

in a respectful way

Commonly confused: reverend or reverent?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “reverend”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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