# priest

Pronunciation: say "PREEST" /ˈpɹiːst/

## Noun

1. A member of the clergy trained to lead religious services or perform sacrifices at a church or temple.
   - Simple: A trained religious leader who guides worship and performs ceremonies at a church or temple.
   - _The village priest visited the sick every Sunday afternoon._
   - _She studied for years at the seminary before becoming a priest._
3. In Latter-day Saint practice, an office of the Aaronic, or lesser, priesthood, above deacon and teacher but below bishop, usually held from about age sixteen; also, a person holding it.
   - Simple: In the Latter-day Saint church, a rank in the lower priesthood, usually held by young men from about sixteen.
   - _In his Latter-day Saint ward, he became a priest at sixteen and helped bless the sacrament._
   - _Young men are typically ordained priests around the age of sixteen._
4. A blunt, heavy tool used by anglers to quickly stun and kill a caught fish.
   - Simple: A short, heavy tool used to quickly kill a fish after catching it.
   - _The angler reached for his priest the moment the salmon hit the bank._
   - _A well-made priest ends the fish's suffering with a single blow._

## Verb

2. To formally ordain someone into the office of priest.
   - Simple: To make someone a priest in an official church ceremony.
   - _The diocese plans to priest several deacons this year._
   - _The archbishop priested twelve candidates in a single ceremony._

## Origin

Ancient Greek presbúteros, built on présbus ("elder, aged"), passed into Late Latin as presbyter and then into Old English as prēost, which became Middle English prest. Old French prestre, which also came from Latin presbyter, strengthened the word in Middle English. Priest, presbyter, and prester are doublets.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/priest (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).