parish

noun

par·​ish ˈper-ish How to pronounce parish (audio)
ˈpa-rish
Synonyms of parishnext
1
a(1)
: the ecclesiastical unit of area committed to one pastor
(2)
: the residents of such an area
b
British : a subdivision of a county often coinciding with an original ecclesiastical parish and constituting the unit of local government
2
: a local church community composed of the members or constituents of a Protestant church
3
: a civil division of the state of Louisiana corresponding to a county in other states

Examples of parish in a Sentence

The parish will be getting a new priest soon. The parish has grown significantly in the last three years.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The diocese's parishes, schools, and other entities are not included in the filing and their operation should not be affected, the archbishop said. CBS News, 29 June 2026 Last month Letlow won in parishes from the state's rural north to the New Orleans area in the southeast. ABC News, 27 June 2026 In eastern Ukraine, Orthodox parishes that are not part of the Russian Orthodox faith have been damaged or destroyed due to shelling from Russian missiles. Mark Temnycky, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 Governor Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency on Thursday in six parishes, including Avoyelles and Pointe Coupee, to assist in providing resources for clean up efforts. Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for parish

Word History

Etymology

Middle English parisshe, from Anglo-French paroche, parosse, from Late Latin parochia, from Late Greek paroikia, from paroikos Christian, from Greek, stranger, from para- + oikos house — more at vicinity

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of parish was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Parish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parish. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

parish

noun
par·​ish ˈpar-ish How to pronounce parish (audio)
1
a
: a section of a church district in the care of a priest or minister
b
: the persons who live in and attend the church of such a section
2
: the members of a church
3
: a division of the state of Louisiana that is similar to a county in other states

Legal Definition

parish

noun
par·​ish ˈpar-ish How to pronounce parish (audio)
: a civil division of the state of Louisiana corresponding to a county in other states

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