What does "priest" mean?
A religious clergyman (clergywoman, clergyperson) who is trained to perform services or sacrifices at a church or temple.
Priest
/ˈpɹiːst/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A religious clergyman (clergywoman, clergyperson) who is trained to perform services or sacrifices at a church or temple.
- Grammar: priest is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: aaronic priesthood, abbe, abbess, abbot.
- Useful contrasts: laic, oblate, acolyte.
- Usage evidence: The priest participated in the children's games.
How to use "priest"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "priest" 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 "priest" 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 "priest" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "priest" 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 "priest" 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 "aaronic priesthood" 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 "priest", 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 A religious clergyman (clergywoman, clergyperson) who is trained to perform services or sacrifices at a church or temple.
"The priest at the Catholic church heard his confession."
- 2 a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders wordnet
- 3 A blunt tool, used for quickly stunning and killing fish.
"They flop and struggle, but she unhooks them swiftly, stunning them with a small brass priest."
- 4 a person who performs religious duties and ceremonies in a non-Christian religion wordnet
- 5 The highest office in the Aaronic priesthood. Mormonism
Verb
- 1 To ordain as a priest. transitive
"If there bee any lasie fellow, any that cannot away with worke, any that would wallow in pleasures, hee is hastie to be priested. And when hee is made one, and has gotten a benefice, he consorts with his neighbour priests, who are altogether given to pleasures; and then both hee, and they, live, not like Christians, but like epicures; drinking, eating, feasting, and revelling, till the cow come home, as the saying is."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The priest participated in the children's games."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "priest"?
Common synonyms include: aaronic priesthood, abbe, abbess, abbot, abbé, abbés.
How do you use "priest" in a sentence?
The priest participated in the children's games.
How do you pronounce "priest"?
Pronounced /ˈpɹiːst/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English prest, preest, from Old English prēost (“priest”), from Late Latin presbyter, from Ancient Greek πρεσβύτερος (presbúteros), from πρέσβυς (présbus, “elder, older”). Reinforced in Middle English by Old French prestre, also from Latin presbyter. Doublet of presbyter and prester.
Etymology 2
From Middle English Prest.