Parishioner

/pəˈrɪʃənər/ noun

Definition

A member of a church parish, or someone who belongs to a religious community under the spiritual care of a particular priest or minister.

Etymology

From Old French 'paroissien,' derived from 'parochie' (parish), which comes from Late Latin 'parochia,' meaning a local administrative and religious district in medieval times.

Kelly Says

The word 'parish' comes from the same Greek root meaning 'living nearby'—parishioners were literally defined by geography in medieval times, before you could just pick a church to attend online or travel across town for your preferred worship style.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.