The definition of a priest is someone who performs religious rituals and rites for a church or other religious organization.
(noun)An example of a priest is the person in charge of an Episcopal church.
See priest in Webster's New World College Dictionary
noun
Origin: ME prest < OE preost (? with -o- by assoc. with profost, provost) < LL(Ec) presbyter, an elder < Gr presbyteros, elder, compar. of presbys, old, old man (in LGr(Ec), an elder) < IE *pres-, ahead < base *per- (see per, pre-) + *gwou-, cow, ox (hence, orig., lead-ox)
Related Forms:
See priest in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
Origin:
Origin: Middle English preost
Origin: , from Old English prēost
Origin: , perhaps from Vulgar Latin *prester (from Late Latin presbyter; see presbyter)
Origin: or from West Germanic *prēvost (from Latin praepositus, superintendent; see provost)
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