Main Entry:

par·ish

Pronunciation:

\ˈper-ish, ˈpa-rish\

Function:

noun

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

Date:

14th century

1 a (1): the ecclesiastical unit of area committed to one pastor (2): the residents of such an area bBritish : a subdivision of a county often coinciding with an original ecclesiastical parish and constituting the unit of local government2: a local church community composed of the members or constituents of a Protestant church3: a civil division of the state of Louisiana corresponding to a county in other states