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
In 1941, a young Basque priest named José María Arizmendiarrieta arrived in the town of Arrasate-Mondragón.
—
Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 2024
Altar servers ran for cover and clergy ducked behind the altar, all while the priest tried to calm everyone by asking them to recite a prayer.
—Omar Villafranca, CBS News, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for priest 
Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 2024
Altar servers ran for cover and clergy ducked behind the altar, all while the priest tried to calm everyone by asking them to recite a prayer.
—Omar Villafranca, CBS News, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for priest
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'priest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Priest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/priest. Accessed 21 May. 2024.
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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