parish

noun

par·​ish ˈper-ish How to pronounce parish (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Of course, that’s exactly what Governor Maura Healey and Mayor Michelle Wu and the developer want; A knockdown, drag out, talk radio donnybrook over a shelter being shoehorned into a tiny former nursing home nestled among a family neighborhood in the Holy Name parish. Lou Murray, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025 The deaths, which occurred in the parishes of Hanover, Saint Catherine and Saint Elizabeth, happened while trees were being cut down, Tufton said. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025 About two-thirds of the homes that were completely destroyed or required major repairs were located in those parishes. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2025 In response, the Jamaica Red Cross has activated emergency resources across eight parishes, supported by CHF 80,000 from the IFRC Disaster Response Emergency Fund. Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for parish

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)

Time Traveler
The first known use of parish was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Parish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parish. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

parish

noun
par·​ish ˈpar-ish How to pronounce parish (audio)
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 How to pronounce parish (audio)
: a civil division of the state of Louisiana corresponding to a county in other states

More from Merriam-Webster on parish

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