priest

noun \ ˈprēst \

Updated on: 21 May 2018

Definition of priest

: one 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 clergyman ranking below a bishop and above a deacon

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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 of priest from the Web

In another incident, the commander sent Marine criminal investigators to interrogate a priest at his home off-base.

— USA TODAY, "Tiara's on. Telly's tuned. The royal wedding hoopla is almost over," 17 May 2018
The previous House chaplain, the Rev. Daniel Coughlin, was also a Catholic priest.

— daniella diaz, CNN, "The House chaplain is staying, and so are the questions about his failed ousting," 4 May 2018
There, on his knees with eyes closed, a vodun priest spit alcohol in his face.

— ben brasch, ajc, "KSU student who found brother from DNA test finds more — his homeland," 25 Apr. 2018
Only in the last seven years have the brothers dedicated themselves to mastering the craft at the suggestion of a local priest.

— Smithsonian, "These Two Brothers Are Helping Keep Armenian’s Stone Carving Tradition Alive," 24 Apr. 2018
But his composition fell off after the critical savaging of his 1971 work Mass, about a priest’s crisis of faith.

— scott timberg, Los Angeles Magazine, "How L.A. Is Celebrating Leonard Bernstein’s 100th Birthday," 11 Apr. 2018
In 1968, Catholic Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Fiorenza was a parish priest at Houston’s Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral.

— cindy george, Houston Chronicle, "Martin Luther King Jr.’s death left Houston shocked but resolved for change," 4 Apr. 2018
In high school, my principal was a priest, and my assistant basketball coach.

— marcus hayes, Philly.com, "Villanova star Donte DiVincenzo found solace from two Fathers | Marcus Hayes," 4 Apr. 2018
That conviction, along with others, was later overturned in a 2006 court ruling during the country’s interim government after Aristide, a former priest, was forced from power a second time.

— jacqueline charles, miamiherald, "Haiti has a new army with much of the old leadership. Some in the U.S. aren’t happy | Miami Herald," 26 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'priest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.