priesthood

P3R1I1E1S1T1H4O1O1D2
/ˈpɹiːstˌhʊd/

noun

The role or office of a priest.

“Holonym: clergy”

Similar
priestshipclergy
OriginMiddle English presthed ← Old English prēosthād →
Less commonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounpriesthood (countable and uncountable, plural priesthoods)

plural priesthoods

  1. countableuncountableThe role or office of a priest.

    Meronym: priestcraft

    Synonyms: priestship

  2. countableuncountablePriests as a group.

    Holonym: clergy

    3 more examples

    Near-synonym: clergy

    Tibet is a society ruled the priesthood.

    The priesthood sold the land when it became apparent that its donor had no intention of redeeming it.

    2001, David L. Lieber, Jules Harlow, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, page 755

    Synonyms: clergy

  3. countableuncountableAuthority to act in the name of God or the divine in general.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe role or office of a priest.

Similar
priestship

nounPriests as a group.

Similar
clergy
Also see
priestship

Origin

  1. Old Englishprēosthād“priesthood”
  2. Middle Englishpresthed
  3. Englishpriesthood

From Middle English presthed, presthede, presthod, presthode, from Old English prēosthād (“priesthood”), equivalent to priest + -hood. Compare Dutch priesterheid (“priesthood”).

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἱερατεία, ἱεράτευμα
  • ἱερατεία (hierateía)role or office
  • ἱεράτευμα (hieráteuma)clergy
Bengali মোল্লাগিরি
  • মোল্লাগিরি (mōllagiri)role or office
Bulgarian свеще́нство, духове́нство
  • свеще́нство (svešténstvo)role or office
  • духове́нство (duhovénstvo)clergy
Chinese Mandarin 神職 /神职, 神職人員 /神职人员
  • 神職 /神职 (shénzhí)role or office
  • 神職人員 /神职人员 (shénzhí rényuán)clergy
  • 聖職 /圣职 (shèngzhí)authority
  • 神權 /神权 (shénquán)authority
Czech duchovenstvo
  • duchovenstvoclergy
Dutch priesterschap, priesterschap
  • priesterschaprole or office
  • priesterschapclergy
Esperanto pastreco
  • pastrecorole or office
Finnish pappeus, papisto
  • pappeusrole or office
  • papistoclergy
  • pappeusauthority
French sacerdoce, prêtrise
  • sacerdocerole or office
  • prêtriserole or office
  • clergéclergy
  • sacerdoceauthority
German Priesteramt, Priestertum
  • Priesteramtrole or office
  • Priestertumclergy
  • Priesterschaftclergy
  • Priestertumauthority
  • Priesterwürdeauthority
Indonesian imamat
  • imamatauthority
Irish sagartacht, sagairt
  • sagartachtrole or office
  • sagairtclergy
  • an chléirclergy
  • sagartachtauthority
Italian sacerdozio, sacerdozio
  • sacerdoziorole or office
  • sacerdozioclergy
  • sacerdozioauthority
Latin sacerdōtium
  • sacerdōtiumrole or office
Latvian priesterība
  • priesterībarole or office
Polish kapłaństwo, duchowieństwo
  • kapłaństworole or office
  • duchowieństwoclergy
  • kapłaństwoauthority
Portuguese sacerdócio, sacerdócio
  • sacerdóciorole or office
  • sacerdócioauthority
Russian свяще́нство, попо́вство
  • свяще́нство (svjaščénstvo)role or office
  • попо́вство (popóvstvo)role or office
  • духове́нство (duxovénstvo)clergy
  • свяще́нство (svjaščénstvo)authority
Slovak duchovenstvo
  • duchovenstvoclergy
Spanish sacerdocio, sacerdocio
  • sacerdociorole or office
  • sacerdocioclergy
  • sacerdocioauthority
Swedish prästerskap, prästerskap
  • prästerskaprole or office
  • prästerskapclergy
Ukrainian свяще́нство, попі́вство
  • свяще́нство (svjaščénstvo)role or office
  • попі́вство (popívstvo)role or office
  • духове́нство (duxovénstvo)clergy

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

spritehood
Cite this entry
APA

priesthood. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/priesthood

MLA

“priesthood.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/priesthood. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “priesthood,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/priesthood.

Source: priesthood on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.