priest

priest — noun

1. someone who has completed formal religious training and has been officially give

1.nounB1
Definition

someone who has completed formal religious training and has been officially given the authority to lead worship services, carry out sacred ceremonies, and offer spiritual care to a community of believers — particularly in Christian churches (including Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox branches), and also for similar roles in other faiths.

Example

Father Pedro, the local priest, welcomed the new family to the parish.

collocation: local priest / parish priest

After six years of training, Ayesha's cousin was ordained as a Catholic priest in Manila.

passive: be ordained as a [priest]

Common collocations
  • ordain a priest
  • serve as a priest
  • train for the priesthood
  • a Catholic / Anglican / Orthodox priest
  • the parish priest
  • a local priest
  • priest + celebrates Mass
  • priest + hears confessions
  • priest + blesses [person/object]
  • priest + preaches [sermon]
Synonyms
  • pastor

    more common in Protestant and evangelical churches; emphasises the role of shepherding a congregation

  • minister

    a broader term used across many Protestant denominations; can also refer to a government official, so context matters

  • clergyman

    formal term for a male Christian clergy member; less common in everyday speech

  • vicar

    specifically an Anglican priest who has charge of a local parish

Grammar Patterns

the priest + verb

priest of [church/parish]

be ordained (as) a priest

Usage Note

In direct address, Catholic and Orthodox priests are usually called 'Father' followed by their first name or surname. Anglican priests may also be called 'Father', while in many Protestant denominations the equivalent role is 'minister' or 'pastor'.

Common Mistakes

The minister celebrated Mass at the cathedral.
The priest celebrated Mass at the cathedral.
In the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, the term 'priest' is the standard title; 'minister' is used more broadly in Protestant churches.

Word family

  • priesthood
    nounB2
  • priestly
    adjectiveB2
  • priestess
    nounC1
  • priestcraft
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all five terms refer to Christian religious leaders, they differ in denominational scope and everyday usage. Priest is the standard term in Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican traditions — someone authorised to perform sacraments such as Mass and confession. Pastor is favoured in Protestant and evangelical churches, emphasising the role of providing spiritual guidance and care to a congregation (the 'flock'). Minister is a broad term used across many Protestant denominations; it can also apply to non-Christian religious leaders (e.g. 'a Buddhist minister' in some contexts). Clergyman is a more formal and old-fashioned word for any male member of the Christian clergy and is rarely heard in casual conversation. Vicar refers specifically to an Anglican priest who leads a parish church. For example, you would say 'The vicar visited the elderly parishioner on Tuesday' but 'The Catholic priest heard confessions on Saturday afternoon.'

priest ↗pastor ↗minister ↗clergymanvicar

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • newly ordained
  • dutifully
  • devoutly
  • senior

Phrases

  • serve as a priest
  • train for the priesthood
  • be ordained a priest
  • hear confessions
  • celebrate Mass
  • conduct a funeral
  • bless a marriage

Prepositions

  • of [the parish]
  • in [the Catholic church]
  • at [the cathedral]

Etymology

GreekLatinOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The English word 'priest' comes from Old English 'prēost', which was borrowed from Late Latin 'presbyter' meaning 'elder'. The Latin word itself came from Greek 'presbyteros' (πρεσβύτερος), the comparative form of 'presbys' (πρέσβυς) meaning 'old man' or 'elder'. In early Christian communities, 'presbyter' referred to a church elder who led worship and teaching. Over time the spelling and pronunciation shifted through Middle English 'preost' to the modern 'priest', while the meaning narrowed from 'elder' to 'one authorised to perform sacred rites'.