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presbyterian Definition

pres·by·teri·an (-ē ən)

adjective

  1. having to do with church government by presbyters
  2. designating or of a church of a traditionally Calvinistic Protestant denomination governed by presbyters, or elders

Etymology: < LL(Ec) presbyterium (see presbytery) + -an

noun

a member of a Presbyterian church

Related Forms:

Presbyterian Synonyms

Presbyterian

n.

Calvinist, Christian, non-Catholic, churchgoer; see Protestant.

Presbyterian Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • minister: His attacks on priests, preachers, and presbyterian ministers are also implicit attacks on the universities where they learned their doctrines.
  • church: He says that many Derry protestants now wish to join his free presbyterian church.
  • government: He died in 1662, deeply disappointed at the eclipse of presbyterian government.
  • system: At this time, the Church of England was supressed, and replaced with a presbyterian system of church government.
Presbyterian Quotes

An annibaptist is a thing I am not a member of:öI am a Pisplikan just now & a Prisbeteren at Kercaldy my native town which thugh dirty is clein in the country.

—Fleming, Marjory