plural priests
: someone who is authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion especially as a mediatory agent between humans and God
specifically
: an Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, or Roman Catholic clergyperson ranking below a bishop and above a deacon
Examples of priest in a Sentence
He was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest.
searched for a priest who could perform an exorcism
Recent Examples on the Web
Officials said the suspect fled the scene after seeing the priest enter the worship area.
—
Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Researchers believe the structures served as elite burial sites for leaders, priests, or shamans, challenging earlier assumptions that Funnelbeaker societies were strictly egalitarian.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 31 Dec. 2025
From a handbook distributed by the International Association of Exorcists, a group of more than two hundred Catholic priests that trains exorcists and raises awareness about demonic possession.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In addition to our visit to the priest’s home, excursions during my trip included a short plant-identification walk with a naturalist and a water purification ritual at the 11th-century Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu, one of over 1,000 water temples on the island.
—Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for priest
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Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Researchers believe the structures served as elite burial sites for leaders, priests, or shamans, challenging earlier assumptions that Funnelbeaker societies were strictly egalitarian.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 31 Dec. 2025
From a handbook distributed by the International Association of Exorcists, a group of more than two hundred Catholic priests that trains exorcists and raises awareness about demonic possession.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In addition to our visit to the priest’s home, excursions during my trip included a short plant-identification walk with a naturalist and a water purification ritual at the 11th-century Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu, one of over 1,000 water temples on the island.
—Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for priest
Cite this Entry
“Priest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/priest. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
priest
noun
: a person who has the authority to lead or perform religious ceremonies
Etymology
Old English prēost "priest," derived from Latin presbyter "priest, elder," from Greek presbyteros, comparative form of presbys "old man, elder"
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