pastorate

noun

pas·​tor·​ate ˈpa-st(ə-)rət 

1

: the office, state, jurisdiction, or tenure of office of a pastor

2

: a body of pastors

Examples of pastorate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Gregg held interim pastorates at several other Chicago-area congregations, including the Community Church of Wilmette, the South Church of Mount Prospect, the North Shore Baptist Church in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood and the United Church of Hyde Park. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025

Still, the young man left his pastorate in Schenectady, New York, and became an Army chaplain. — Kevin Dayhoff, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2024

In the 1970s, greater numbers of women entered the six Southern Baptist seminaries, many professing a calling to the pastorate, even though most churches still refused to ordain them. — Susan M. Shaw, The Conversation, 16 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

pastorate

noun

pas·​tor·​ate ˈpas-t(ə-)rət 

1

: the office, duties, or term of service of a pastor

2

: a body of pastors