plural priests
: someone who is authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion especially as a mediatory agent between humans and God
specifically
: an Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, or Roman Catholic clergyperson ranking below a bishop and above a deacon
Synonyms
Examples of priest in a Sentence
He was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest.
searched for a priest who could perform an exorcism
Recent Examples on the Web
Today, dozens of parishes are in clusters that share priests and administrative resources to deal with a decline that has become more pressing over the last decade, reporter Sophie Carson found in an analysis.
17.
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Lainey Seyler, Journal Sentinel, 30 Dec. 2024
Its 63 squares supposedly represent nine seven-year periods in a person’s life—a nod to the esoteric philosophy of Marsilio Ficino, a philosopher and Catholic priest of the early Italian Renaissance who believed that people experienced some change in their body or mind, or both, every seven years.
—John Last, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2024
He would be ordained a priest in 1918, at age 24, after studying in Rome.
—Christine Rousselle, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024
Every month has two, three or four official Jubilee events that Francis is expected to attend which are designated for particular categories of people: the armed forces, artists, priests, poor people, volunteers and teachers.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for priest 
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Lainey Seyler, Journal Sentinel, 30 Dec. 2024
Its 63 squares supposedly represent nine seven-year periods in a person’s life—a nod to the esoteric philosophy of Marsilio Ficino, a philosopher and Catholic priest of the early Italian Renaissance who believed that people experienced some change in their body or mind, or both, every seven years.
—John Last, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2024
He would be ordained a priest in 1918, at age 24, after studying in Rome.
—Christine Rousselle, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024
Every month has two, three or four official Jubilee events that Francis is expected to attend which are designated for particular categories of people: the armed forces, artists, priests, poor people, volunteers and teachers.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for priest
Dictionary Entries Near priest
Cite this Entry
“Priest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/priest. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
priest
noun
: a person who has the authority to lead or perform religious ceremonies
Etymology
Old English prēost "priest," derived from Latin presbyter "priest, elder," from Greek presbyteros, comparative form of presbys "old man, elder"
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