priest

From Middle English preist, preest, from Old English prēost (“priest”), from Late Latin presbyter, from Ancient Greek πρεσβύτερος (presbúteros), from πρέσβυς (présbus, “elder, older”). Reinforced in Middle English by Old French prestre, also from Latin presbyter.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɹiːst/, [ˈpɹ̥iːst]

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• Rhymes: -iːst

priest (plural priests, feminine priestess)

1. a religious clergyman (clergywoman, clergyperson) who is trained to perform services or sacrifices at a church or temple
   • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 10, in The Mirror and the Lamp:

     It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.

   The priest at the Catholic church heard his confession.

   The Shinto priest burnt incense for his ancestors.

   The Israelite priests were descended from Moses' brother Aaron.

2. a blunt tool, used for quickly stunning and killing fish
3. (Mormonism) the highest office in the Aaronic priesthood

• imam, guru, kohen (cohen), rabbi, bhikkhu

priest (third-person singular simple present priests, present participle priesting, simple past and past participle priested)

1. (transitive) To ordain as a priest.
   • 1610, Alexander Cooke, Pope Joane, in William Oldys, editor, The Harleian Miscellany: or, A Collection of Scarce, Curious, and Entertaining Pamphlets and Tracts, as well in Manuscript as in Print, Found in the Late Earl of Oxford's Library: Interspersed with Historical, Political, and Critical Notes: With a Table of the Contents, and an Alphabetical Index, volume IV, London: Printed for T[homas] Osborne, in Gray's-Inn, 1744, OCLC 5325177; republished as John Maltham, editor, The Harleian Miscellany; or, A Collection of Scarce, Curious, and Entertaining Pamphlets and Tracts, as well in Manuscript as in Print, Found in the Late Earl of Oxford's Library, Interspersed with Historical, Political, and Critical Notes, volume IV, London: Printed for R. Dutton, 1808–1811, OCLC 30776079, page 95:

     If there bee any lasie fellow, any that cannot away with worke, any that would wallow in pleasures, hee is hastie to be priested. And when hee is made one, and has gotten a benefice, he consorts with his neighbour priests, who are altogether given to pleasures; and then both hee, and they, live, not like Christians, but like epicures; drinking, eating, feasting, and revelling, till the cow come home, as the saying is.

• “Lesson 7: Duties of the Priest”, in Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood, Part A‎, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2000, page 48
• Smart, Alastair Fish Welfare at Harvest: Killing Me Softly
• Comparison of Common Slaughter Methods for Farmed Finfish Seafood innovations.

• Pitres, Presti, Sprite, esprit, respit, retips, ripest, sitrep, sprite, stripe, tripes

priest

1. Second-person singular preterite of preisen.
2. Second-person plural preterite of preisen.