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
The ovation when the priest said the prayer and said ‘God bless our Pacers’ was great.
—
Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2025
When the Church sanctions the exorcism of Emma Schmidt, two priests divided by doubt must confront a force beyond comprehension...and their own faith.
—Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
The night after the robbery the temple priests requested that Berenice and Ptolemy join them outside to show them something amazing!
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 25 May 2025
The workers included priests, religious sisters and brothers and other laypersons.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for priest
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.
Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2025
When the Church sanctions the exorcism of Emma Schmidt, two priests divided by doubt must confront a force beyond comprehension...and their own faith.
—Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
The night after the robbery the temple priests requested that Berenice and Ptolemy join them outside to show them something amazing!
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 25 May 2025
The workers included priests, religious sisters and brothers and other laypersons.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 21 May 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 5 Jun. 2025.
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"
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share