# priesthood

/ˈpɹisthʊd/ (US) · /pɹˈiːsthʊd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/priesthood
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. the office or role

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the position or job of being a priest.

For teachers: the office, status, or tenure of a priest. Often used with the definite article to denote the professional state.

- He decided to enter the priesthood after years of working as a teacher.
- After a long period of spiritual reflection, he felt a profound calling to the priesthood and began his formal theological training.

### 2. priests as a group

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

all the priests in a particular religion or area considered as one group.

For teachers: the collective body of priests within a specific religious tradition or geographical region.

- The local priesthood met to discuss how to help the poor in their city.
- The reform was met with significant resistance from the established priesthood, who feared a loss of traditional influence over the congregation.

### 3. divine authority

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

the power or right to act in the name of God.

For teachers: the spiritual authority or power believed to be conferred by the divine to perform sacred rites.

- In their tradition, only those with the priesthood can perform the ceremony.
- The doctrine emphasizes that the priesthood is not merely a social role but a divine mandate to mediate between the sacred and the profane.

## Examples

- He decided to enter the priesthood after finishing university.
- The local community celebrated his twenty-fifth year in the priesthood with a special dinner and ceremony.
- Scholars often examine how the influence of the priesthood shifted during the transition from a monarchical system to a more secular form of governance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.