priesthood
Variant of priest
priest (prēst)
noun
- a person whose function is to make sacrificial offerings and perform other religious rites as an intermediary between deity and worshipers
- in the early Christian church, a presbyter, or elder
- in hierarchical Christian churches, a clergyman ranking next below a bishop and authorized to administer the sacraments
- any clergyman
Etymology: 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:
- priesthood priest′·hood′ noun
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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