priest

UK: /ˈpriːst/ US: /prist/ ,(prēst)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

priest /prist/   n. [countable]

1. Religion (in Christian use)
   • a person ordained to an office in a church as a member of the clergy;
     minister.
   • (in churches with strict ranking) a member of the clergy of the order next below that of bishop.
2. one whose job or position is to perform religious ceremonies, etc.:
   As the Hindu priests walked by, the armies stopped fighting to allow them to pass.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

priest  (prēst), n. 

1. a person whose office it is to perform religious rites, and esp. to make sacrificial offerings.
2. Religion (in Christian use)
   • a person ordained to the sacerdotal or pastoral office;
     a member of the clergy;
     minister.
   • (in hierarchical churches) a member of the clergy of the order next below that of bishop, authorized to carry out the Christian ministry.
3. a minister of any religion.

v.t. 

4. to ordain as a priest.

• Late Latin presbyter presbyter
• Middle English prest(e), priest, Old English prēost, ultimately bef. 900

priest′less, adj. 
priest′like′, adj., adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

priest / priːst/, (feminine)priestess noun

1. a person ordained to act as a mediator between God and humankind in administering the sacraments, preaching, blessing, guiding, etc
2. (in episcopal Churches) a minister in the second grade of the hierarchy of holy orders, ranking below a bishop but above a deacon
3. a minister of any religion
4. (in some non-Christian religions) an official who offers sacrifice on behalf of the people and performs other religious ceremonies

verb (transitive)

1. to make a priest; ordain

Etymology: Old English prēost, apparently from presbyter; related to Old High German prēster, Old French prestre

ˈpriestˌlike adjective