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
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
Stan Chu Ilo is a Catholic priest and a senior research professor on religion, global health and social ethics at the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University in Chicago.
—
Stan Chu Ilo, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
The last act of The Stranger follows the young man through his imprisonment, trial and the weeks leading up to his execution, including a long and somewhat overwrought conversation with a priest (Swann Arlaud) hoping to read the inmate his last rites.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
The book, however, has a philosophical resonance that the film tries very hard to replicate but can’t, culminating in a long discussion with a priest (Swann Arlaud) that makes the ending seem a hell of a long time coming.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
At the beginning the library catered mostly to priests-in-training and required two references from the members of the clergy to reserve a room.
—Margarita Gokun Silver, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for priest
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Stan Chu Ilo, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
The last act of The Stranger follows the young man through his imprisonment, trial and the weeks leading up to his execution, including a long and somewhat overwrought conversation with a priest (Swann Arlaud) hoping to read the inmate his last rites.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
The book, however, has a philosophical resonance that the film tries very hard to replicate but can’t, culminating in a long discussion with a priest (Swann Arlaud) that makes the ending seem a hell of a long time coming.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
At the beginning the library catered mostly to priests-in-training and required two references from the members of the clergy to reserve a room.
—Margarita Gokun Silver, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for priest
Cite this Entry
“Priest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/priest. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
priest
noun
: 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"
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