priest

noun

ˈprēst 

plural priests

: someone who is 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 clergyperson ranking below a bishop and above a deacon

Synonyms of priest

• preacher
• cleric
• clergyman
• bishop
• minister
• deacon
• pastor
• reverend
• clerical

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 on the Web

The church began ordaining women as priests in the 1980s, beginning with Lucia Okuthe of the diocese of Maseno South in 1983. — Stephanie Triplettall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026

Ruffalo plays Tom Brandis, a former priest who now heads an FBI task force looking into a string of murders and drug deals — as well as a spur-of-the-moment kidnapping — that happened in the backwoods of Pennsylvania’s Delaware County. — Whitney Friedlander, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026

Hersey — reporting on a clerk, a tailor’s widow, two doctors, a priest, and a pastor — gave US readers their first sense of what the new superweapon did to human bodies. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Lindsay Clancy's former father-in-law testifies Christopher Clancy, the father of Patrick Clancy and Lindsay's former father-in-law, brought a priest into the courtroom for his testimony. — Kristina Rex, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English preist, from Old English prēost, ultimately from Late Latin presbyter — more at presbyter

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing priest

• high priest
• priest-ridden
• worker-priest

Rhymes for priest

• beast
• ceased
• creased
• east
• feast
• fleeced
• geest
• greased
• leased
• least
• pieced
• yeast

Kids Definition

priest

noun

ˈprēst 

: a person who has the authority to lead or perform religious ceremonies

Etymology

Old English prēost "priest," derived from Latin presbyter "priest, elder," from Greek presbyteros, comparative form of presbys "old man, elder"