reverend

1 of 2

adjective

rev·​er·​end ˈrev-rənd How to pronounce reverend (audio)
ˈre-və-;
ˈre-vərnd
1
: worthy of reverence : revered
2
a
: of or relating to the clergy
b
: being a member of the clergy
used as a title
the Reverend Mr. Doe
the Reverend John Doe
the Reverend Mrs. Jane Doe

reverend

2 of 2

noun

: a member of the clergy
sometimes used in plural as a title

Examples of reverend in a Sentence

Adjective our reverend elders should be accorded a special place of honor at the ceremonies Noun called their reverend and asked if he could marry them next June
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Kristen Harper, a reverend and senior minister at Barnstable Unitarian Church, has spoken about the Reverse Freedom Riders during several sermons of the past. Rachael Devaney, USA TODAY, 17 Sep. 2022 No one was a better fit for the job to officiate Richie and Madden's 2010 wedding than the Run DMC frontman, who is a reverend IRL. Grace Gavilanes, Peoplemag, 23 Aug. 2022 There before the reverend mother and God, the police (wielding rifles) and the butchers (wielding a cow trailer) managed to corral two of the steers. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2022 Dickens was a great admirer of a reverend philosopher of that name, often carrying around a copy of Smith's Elementary Sketches of Moral Philosophy. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 10 Feb. 2022
Noun
Even more fortunately, when the reverend is sidetracked, Johnny is able to assume his identity and seek temporary refuge in a place where no one, not ever Bessie, has ever seen him before. Joe Leydon, Variety, 13 Sep. 2023 At the same time across town, another agent is in the basement of a derelict church trying to disarm the reverend’s equally sadistic brother in hand-to-hand combat. Hunter Ingram, Variety, 19 Aug. 2023 Other historic buildings include a lighthouse, built in 1840, and the Baldwin Home, which was built as a missionary compound by a reverend in 1834 and is now a museum. Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2023 The reverends spoke about segregation, love, forgiveness and God. Alaina Bookman | Abookman@al.com, al, 8 Aug. 2023 The reverend was transported to Stamford Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 28 July 2023 Anthony McCarthy, a regular around Baltimore City Hall and veteran of numerous political campaigns, sat in a circle of reverends in Ellicott City Wednesday evening. Hannah Gaskill, Baltimore Sun, 20 July 2023 Couleé grew up in the church (her mother was a reverend), and performing in the gospel choir was an easy fit. Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2023 The reverend of the family’s church died around the same time. Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 June 2023 See More

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

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin reverendus, gerundive of reverērī "to stand in awe of, revere entry 1"

Noun

derivative of reverend entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1608, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near reverend

Cite this Entry

“Reverend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reverend. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

reverend

1 of 2 adjective
rev·​er·​end ˈrev-(ə-)rənd How to pronounce reverend (audio)
ˈrev-ərnd
1
: worthy of reverence : revered
these reverend halls
2
used as a title for a member of the clergy
the Reverend Ms. Doe
the Reverend John Doe
the Reverend Mother Superior

reverend

2 of 2 noun
: a member of the clergy

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