priest

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noun \ ˈprēst \

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

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Bishops in Ireland have created detailed guidelines to address an issue the Roman Catholic Church has tried to keep under wraps for centuries: the plight of children born to Catholic priests and the women who bear them.

— nicole winfield, The Seattle Times, "Irish church aims to end stigma for the children of priests," 22 Aug. 2017
Jim Greanias, presiding priest at St. Iakovos Greek Orthodox Church.

— jessi virtusio, Post-Tribune, "Greek Fest returns to Valparaiso," 16 Aug. 2017
The priests say that this money only covers basic repairs, and more is needed to address the cathedral’s desperate need for maintenance.

— chanel vargas, Town & Country, "Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral is Crumbling and Short on Funds," 3 Aug. 2017
If the Night King is bringing the ice a little too hard, perhaps the red priests and priestesses can help bring the fire.

— joanna robinson, vanityfair.com, "Game of Thrones: Explaining Melisandre’s Mysterious Goodbye," 31 July 2017
After his party’s election victory in Uttar Pradesh, Mr Modi appointed as its chief minister a saffron-robed priest, Yogi Adityanath, who sponsors a right-wing Hindu youth movement.

— The Economist, "The elephant in its labyrinthIn the race with its tricky neighbour, India has recently been winning," 22 July 2017
As archbishop of Indianapolis, Cardinal Tobin won praise from his priests for his willingness to delve into the details of parish management.

— sharon otterman, New York Times, "Cardinals on Opposite Sides of the Hudson Reflect Two Paths of Catholicism," 16 July 2017
Among them are a prominent Buddhist priest and a judge.

— krishan francis, The Seattle Times, "Owners of poached elephants in Sri Lanka may escape sanction," 8 July 2017
In the euphoria following the BJP’s election victory in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, the new state government -- run by a Hindu priest -- eagerly turned on the money taps for a huge loan waiver for the state’s farmers.

— iain marlow, Bloomberg.com, "Profligate State-Level Spending Could Derail Modi's Reform Plans," 4 July 2017

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.