ecclesiast

noun

ec·​cle·​si·​ast

-zēˌast,

-ēə̇st,

-ēˌaa(ə)st

plural -s

1

: ecclesiastic

2

: a member of the Athenian ecclesia

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ecclesiaste, from Late Latin ecclesiastes, from Greek ekklēsiastēs, literally, member of a Greek ecclesia, from ekklēsia church, ecclesia + -astēs -ast

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!