What does "parish" mean?
An administrative part of a diocese that has its own church.
Parish
/ˈpæɹɪʃ/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An administrative part of a diocese that has its own church.
- Grammar: parish is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: archbishopric, archdiocese, arrondissement, assembly.
- Useful contrasts: archbishoprics, archdeacon, chapel.
- Usage evidence: They are the boys of the parish.
How to use "parish"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "parish" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "parish" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "parish" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "parish" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "parish" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "archbishopric" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "parish", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An administrative part of a diocese that has its own church.
"With some of it on the south and more of it on the north of the great main thoroughfare that connects Aldgate and the East India Docks, St. Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London."
- 2 a local church community wordnet
- 3 The community attending that church; the members of the parish.
- 4 the local subdivision of a diocese committed to one pastor wordnet
- 5 An ecclesiastical society, usually not bounded by territorial limits, but composed of those persons who choose to unite under the charge of a particular priest, clergyman, or minister; also, loosely, the territory in which the members of a congregation live. US
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A civil subdivision of a British county, often corresponding to an earlier ecclesiastical parish.
"Atlantic gales constantly buffet Morwenstow, whose seven hamlets together constitute Cornwall's most northerly parish. The village is dotted with trees moulded into weird shapes by the wind, and above the trees rise the vicarage chimneystacks resembling miniature church towers."
- 7 In some countries, an administrative subdivision of an area.
- 8 In some countries, an administrative subdivision of an area.; An administrative subdivision in the U.S. state of Louisiana that is equivalent to a county in other U.S. states.
Verb
- 1 To place (an area, or rarely a person) into one or more parishes. transitive
"[…] [m]akes possible, through the aid of the rural ministers, the development of the various phases of the District program, such as (a) Parishing of the District; (b) Interdenominational adjustment in the interest of rural religious advance […]"
- 2 Pronunciation spelling of perish, representing Mary–marry–merry merger English. alt-of, pronunciation-spelling
- 3 To visit residents of a parish. intransitive
"[…] a chair immediately opposite to Tressady's place remained vacant. It was being kept for the eldest son of the house, his mother explaining carelessly to Lord Fontenoy that she believed he was "Out parishing somewhere, as usual.""
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname. countable, uncountable
- 2 A town and village therein, in Oswego County, New York, United States. countable, uncountable
Antonyms
Example
"They are the boys of the parish."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "parish"?
Common synonyms include: archbishopric, archdiocese, arrondissement, assembly, bailiwick, bishopric.
How do you use "parish" in a sentence?
They are the boys of the parish.
How do you pronounce "parish"?
Pronounced /ˈpæɹɪʃ/.
Etymology
From Middle English parisshe, from Old French paroisse (compare the obsolete variant paroch, from Anglo-Norman paroche, parosse), from Late Latin parochia, from Ancient Greek παροικία (paroikía, “a dwelling abroad”).