parishioner

noun

pa·​rish·​ion·​er pə-ˈri-sh(ə-)nər How to pronounce parishioner (audio)
: a member or inhabitant of a parish

Examples of parishioner in a Sentence

the parishioners of First Baptist Church
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.
Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation, according to Dynamic Catholic, meaning parishioners aren't required to attend Mass. Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Feb. 2026 And even the irreligious Bill de Blasio would join parishioners at the cathedral. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026 After her fellow parishioners at a local church reported her unusual absence during the following day's Sunday service, she was declared missing, and a large-scale search was launched. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Feb. 2026 Aquila and Golka Dan Petty/DenverCatholic Aquila shared a letter on Saturday thanking the parishioners for his time here and welcoming Golka. Christa Swanson, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for parishioner

Word History

Etymology

Middle English parisshoner, probably modification of Anglo-French parochien, from paroche

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of parishioner was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Parishioner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parishioner. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

parishioner

noun
pa·​rish·​io·​ner
pə-ˈrish-(ə-)nər
: a member or resident of a parish

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