- priesthood
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noun
Date: before 12th century
1. the office, dignity, or character of a priest
2. the whole body of priests
3. elite 1 <the priesthood of the art world>
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
priesthood
Look at other dictionaries:
Priesthood — • Brief yet thorough examination of this sacrament Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Priesthood Priesthood † … Catholic encyclopedia
Priesthood — Priest hood, n. 1. The office or character of a priest; the priestly function. Bk. of Com. Prayer. [1913 Webster] 2. Priests, taken collectively; the order of men set apart for sacred offices; the order of priests. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
priesthood — O.E. preosthad; see PRIEST (Cf. priest) + HOOD (Cf. hood). Priestcraft originally was the business of being a priest (late 15c.); after rise of Protestantism and the Enlightenment, it acquired a pejorative sense of arts of ambitious priests for… … Etymology dictionary
priesthood — [n] clergy canonicate, canonry, cardinalate, deaconry, diaconate, ecclesiastics, ministry, pastorate, rabbinate, the cloth, the pulpit; concept 369 … New thesaurus
priesthood — /preest hood/, n. 1. the condition or office of a priest. 2. priests collectively. [bef. 900; ME presthed(e), presthod(e), OE preosthad. See PRIEST, HOOD] * * * Office of a spiritual leader expert in the ceremonies of worship and the performance… … Universalium
priesthood — priest|hood [ˈpri:sthud] n 1.) the priesthood if someone is in the priesthood, they are a Christian priest ▪ He is celebrating 30 years in the priesthood. ▪ There has been a decline in the number of people joining the priesthood. 2.) [>C… … Dictionary of contemporary English
priesthood — [[t]pri͟ːsthʊd[/t]] 1) N UNCOUNT Priesthood is the position of being a priest or the period of time during which someone is a priest. ...the early rites of priesthood... He spent the first twenty five years of his priesthood as an academic. 2) N… … English dictionary
priesthood — UK [ˈpriːsthʊd] / US [ˈprɪstˌhʊd] noun Word forms priesthood : singular priesthood plural priesthoods 1) the priesthood the work and responsibility of being a priest He was studying for the priesthood. 2) [countable/uncountable] all the priests… … English dictionary
priesthood — n. to enter the priesthood * * * [ priːsthʊd] to enter the priesthood … Combinatory dictionary
priesthood — priest|hood [ prist,hud ] noun 1. ) the priesthood the work and responsibility of being a priest.: He was studying for the priesthood. 2. ) count or uncount all the priests of a particular religion or country … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
priesthood — noun 1 the priesthood the job or position of a priest: He decided to enter the priesthood. 2 (C, U) all the priests of a particular religion or country … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
