Word
reverend
Phoneticsrev·erend
US/ˈɹɛvɝənd/
UK/ɹˈɛvəɹˌɛnd/
Definitions
01a member of the clergy
n. a member of the Christian clergy, such as a priest or minister.
n. a member of the Christian clergy. Often used with 'the' as a formal way to refer to a minister.
“The reverend spoke to the family after the church service ended.”
“The local reverend has served this parish for over thirty years, overseeing countless weddings and community events.”
Formal
Usage
Often used with the definite article 'the' when referring to the person as a noun.
Antonyms
02a title for clergy
adj. a title used before the name of a Christian minister.
adj. an honorific title prefixed to the names of Christian clergy. Traditionally requires 'the' before the title in formal writing.
“The letter was addressed to the Reverend James Wilson.”
“In formal correspondence, it is proper to address the envelope to the Reverend Dr. Aris, rather than using just the surname.”
Formal
Usage
Usually capitalized and preceded by 'the'; often abbreviated as 'Rev.' in casual writing.
Pitfall
I spoke to Reverend Smith.
I spoke to the Reverend Smith.
In formal English, 'Reverend' is an adjective, so it should be preceded by 'the'.
Synonyms
03worthy of respect
adj. deserving a lot of respect or honor because of age, character, or position.
adj. deserving of reverence or profound respect. This sense is less common in modern speech and is found mostly in older literature.
“The tribe looked to their reverend elders for advice during the crisis.”
“The cathedral's reverend silence was broken only by the distant tolling of the bell at twilight.”
Literary · Archaic
Teaching tip
This general sense of 'worthy of respect' is rare today; learners will almost always encounter the word as a religious title.
Antonyms
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englishreference.com/q/reverend