presbyter
[ prez-bi-ter, pres- ]
/ ˈprɛz bɪ tər, ˈprɛs- /
noun
(in the early Christian church) an office bearer who exercised teaching, priestly, and administrative functions.
(in hierarchical churches) a priest.
an elder in a Presbyterian church.
Origin of presbyter
1590–1600; < Late Latin, noun use of the adj.: older < Greek
presbýteros, equivalent to
présby(s) old +
-teros comparative suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM presbyter
pres·byt·er·al [prez-bit-er-uh l, pres-] /prɛzˈbɪt ər əl, prɛs-/, adjective non·pres·by·ter, nounWords nearby presbyter
presbycusis,
presbyo-,
presbyope,
presbyopia,
presbyt.,
presbyter,
presbyterate,
presbyterial,
presbyterian,
presbyterian church,
presbyterianism
Example sentences from the Web for presbyter
British Dictionary definitions for presbyter
presbyter
/ (ˈprɛzbɪtə) /
noun
- an elder of a congregation in the early Christian Church
- (in some Churches having episcopal politics) an official who is subordinate to a bishop and has administrative, teaching, and sacerdotal functions
(in some hierarchical Churches) another name for priest
(in the Presbyterian Church)
- a teaching elder
- a ruling elder
Word Origin for presbyter
C16: from Late Latin, from Greek
presbuteros an older man, from
presbus old man