reverend

1 of 2

adjective

rev·​er·​end ˈrev-rənd 

ˈre-və-;

ˈre-vərnd

1

: worthy of reverence : revered

2

a

: of or relating to the clergy

b

: being a member of the clergy

—used as a title

the Reverend Mr. Doe

the Reverend John Doe

the Reverend Mrs. Jane Doe

reverend

2 of 2

noun

: a member of the clergy

—sometimes used in plural as a title

Synonyms of reverend

Adjective

• venerable
• revered
• venerated
• respectable

Noun

• priest
• preacher
• clergyman
• deacon
• minister
• pastor

Examples of reverend in a Sentence

Adjective

our reverend elders should be accorded a special place of honor at the ceremonies

Noun

called their reverend and asked if he could marry them next June

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

There before the reverend mother and God, the police (wielding rifles) and the butchers (wielding a cow trailer) managed to corral two of the steers. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2022

There’s a little commentary around the reverend character [played by Chris Evans] and the kind of cultlike world that exists there, which is a little Trump-like, but not so much. — Kevin Cassidy, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Noun

The reverend stands tall at the pulpit and reads from the Gospel of Matthew. — Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026

To the people around me, Jackson—the reverend and civil-rights leader—was a hero. — Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin reverendus, gerundive of reverērī "to stand in awe of, revere entry 1"

Noun

derivative of reverend entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1608, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

reverend

1 of 2 adjective

rev·​er·​end ˈrev-(ə-)rənd 

ˈrev-ərnd

1

: worthy of reverence : revered

these reverend halls

2

—used as a title for a member of the clergy

the Reverend Ms. Doe

the Reverend John Doe

the Reverend Mother Superior

reverend

2 of 2 noun

: a member of the clergy