priestly

adjective

priest·​ly ˈprēst-lē How to pronounce priestly (audio)
1
: of or relating to a priest or the priesthood : sacerdotal
2
: characteristic of or befitting a priest
priestliness noun

Example Sentences

He is a kind, priestly man. majestically robed in priestly garments
Recent Examples on the Web On this day the priestly promises of chastity, obedience and poverty are renewed before a Bishop. Nadia Cantú, The Arizona Republic, 31 Mar. 2023 Tens of thousands of Jews gathered at the Western Wall for priestly blessings; at al-Aqsa’s gray-domed mosque, Muslim worshipers knelt in solemn prayer. Leo Sands, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2023 April 6, Holy Thursday On Holy Thursday, the Catholic Church celebrates charity, love, the institution of the Eucharist and the priestly order. Nadia Cantú, The Arizona Republic, 31 Mar. 2023 Over time, Philippe resumed his priestly ministry as his Dominican superiors ignored the Vatican sanctions, at which point Vanier, a layman, founded L’Arche. Nicole Winfield, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Mar. 2023 The priestly class in particular interested me. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2022 The goal of the priestly garments is not honor but rather to serve as a reminder that the priest has a greater responsibility to soulfully impact the community. Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2023 Tetzaveh follows with the command of the priestly garments. Rabbi Avi Weiss, sun-sentinel.com, 22 Feb. 2022 Some segments of the priestly class will always find institutional politics exhausting, mystical experience out of their character, and legal commentaries excessively mundane. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 25 Apr. 2013 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'priestly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of priestly was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near priestly

Cite this Entry

“Priestly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/priestly. Accessed 10 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

priestly

adjective
priest·​ly ˈprēst-lē How to pronounce priestly (audio)
priestlier; priestliest
1
: of or relating to a priest or the priesthood
2
: characteristic of or suitable for a priest
priestliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on priestly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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