A person who is trained and authorized to lead religious services and perform sacred duties in some religions. Priests often guide people in spiritual matters.
From Old English *preost*, from Late Latin *presbyter* meaning 'elder', used for leaders in early Christian communities. Over time, it shortened and shifted to mean a specific religious role.
The word for 'priest' originally just meant an older person in charge, not a magical holy figure. That shows how religion started by trusting age and experience. The role turned from 'elder of the group' into 'specialist in the sacred'.
In many religious traditions, 'priest' historically referred almost exclusively to men, reflecting institutional restrictions on women's religious authority. Over time, some denominations have ordained women as priests, while others maintain male-only priesthoods.
When referring to specific traditions, respect their own terminology; when speaking generically, avoid assuming priests are male and use gender-neutral phrasing unless gender is directly relevant.
["clergy","religious leader","minister"]
Women have long served in pastoral, theological, and leadership roles—often informally or under different titles—even where priestly office was formally restricted to men.
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