parish

noun

par·​ish ˈper-ish 

ˈpa-rish

1

a(1)

: the ecclesiastical unit of area committed to one pastor

(2)

: the residents of such an area

b

British : a subdivision of a county often coinciding with an original ecclesiastical parish and constituting the unit of local government

2

: a local church community composed of the members or constituents of a Protestant church

3

: a civil division of the state of Louisiana corresponding to a county in other states

Examples of parish in a Sentence

The parish will be getting a new priest soon.

The parish has grown significantly in the last three years.

Recent Examples on the Web

As the number of Catholic parishes continues to shrink in Northwest Indiana, church leaders said faith in the future remains strong among their congregations following an announcement of more consolidations to come. —Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026

The abuse took place in parishes throughout southern New Mexico that once belonged to the diocese, according to church officials. —Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026

Proceeds help the Knights of Columbus support various parish and community outreach charities such as Mary’s Path, for teen mothers and their babies; Thomas House, a shelter for homeless; Isaiah House, a temporary shelter for homeless women in OC; and San Antonio’s Family Assistance Ministry. —Sharon Hlapcich, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026

The parish grew to more than 1,500 families with 863 children in the school by 1961, Preservation Chicago said. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English parisshe, from Anglo-French paroche, parosse, from Late Latin parochia, from Late Greek paroikia, from paroikos Christian, from Greek, stranger, from para- + oikos house — more at vicinity

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing parish

• inter-parish
• parish-pump

Kids Definition

parish

noun

par·​ish ˈpar-ish 

1

a

: a section of a church district in the care of a priest or minister

b

: the persons who live in and attend the church of such a section

2

: the members of a church

3

: a division of the state of Louisiana that is similar to a county in other states

Legal Definition

parish

noun

par·​ish ˈpar-ish 

: a civil division of the state of Louisiana corresponding to a county in other states