vicar
[ vik-er ]
/ ˈvɪk ər /
noun
Church of England.
- a person acting as priest of a parish in place of the rector, or as representative of a religious community to which tithes belong.
- the priest of a parish the tithes of which are impropriated and who receives only the smaller tithes or a salary.
Protestant Episcopal Church.
- a member of the clergy whose sole or chief charge is a chapel dependent on the church of a parish.
- a bishop's assistant in charge of a church or mission.
Roman Catholic Church.
an ecclesiastic representing the pope or a bishop.
a person who acts in place of another; substitute.
a person who is authorized to perform the functions of another; deputy: God's vicar on earth.
Origin of vicar
1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French
vicare; Old French
vicaire < Latin
vicārius a substitute, noun use of adj.; see
vicarious
OTHER WORDS FROM vicar
vic·ar·ship, noun sub·vic·ar, noun sub·vic·ar·ship, noun un·der·vic·ar, nounWords nearby vicar
Example sentences from the Web for vicar
British Dictionary definitions for vicar
vicar
/ (ˈvɪkə) /
noun
Church of England
- (in Britain) a clergyman appointed to act as priest of a parish from which, formerly, he did not receive tithes but a stipend
- a clergyman who acts as assistant to or substitute for the rector of a parish at Communion
- (in the US) a clergyman in charge of a chapel
RC Church
a bishop or priest representing the pope or the ordinary of a diocese and exercising a limited jurisdiction
Also called: lay vicar, vicar choral Church of England
a member of a cathedral choir appointed to sing certain parts of the services
a person appointed to do the work of another
Derived forms of vicar
vicarly, adjectiveWord Origin for vicar
C13: from Old French
vicaire, from Latin
vicārius (n) a deputy, from
vicārius (adj)
vicarious