parish

[ par-ish ]

noun

1. an ecclesiastical district having its own church and member of the clergy.
2. a local church with its field of activity.
3. (in Louisiana) a county.
4. the people of an ecclesiastical or civil parish.
5. Curling. house ( def 21 ).

parish

/ ˈpærɪʃ /

noun

1. a subdivision of a diocese, having its own church and a clergyman parochial
2. the churchgoers of such a subdivision
3. (in England and, formerly, Wales) the smallest unit of local government in rural areas
4. (in Louisiana) a unit of local government corresponding to a county in other states of the US
5. the people living in a parish
6. on the parish
   history receiving parochial relief

Other Words From

• inter·parish adjective
• trans·parish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of parish¹

1250–1300; Middle English, variant of parosshe < Middle French paroisse < Late Latin parochia, alteration of paroecia < Late Greek paroikía, derivative of Greek pároikos neighbor, (in Christian usage) sojourner ( paroicous ); -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of parish¹

C13: from Old French paroisse, from Church Latin parochia, from Late Greek paroikia, from paroikos Christian, sojourner, from Greek: neighbour, from para- ¹(beside) + oikos house

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on the parish, British.
   1. receiving charity from local authorities.
   2. Informal. meagerly or inadequately supplied.

Example Sentences

Mr Acutis gained his nickname partly by designing websites for his parish and school, but he mainly became known for launching a website seeking to document every reported Eucharistic miracle.

From BBC

A week before the general elections, worshipers at the St. Gertrude the Great Catholic Church in Bell Gardens were listening to the parish announcements when Father Nabor Rios introduced a political candidate.

From Los Angeles Times

Portuguese Catholic parishes and Portuguese halls — where weddings, festas and soulful fado concerts take place — dot the tiny towns that stretch from roughly Bakersfield to Redding.

From Los Angeles Times

He argued that the clergy had a lot to learn from the faithful in the poorest parishes who, he said, demonstrated day after day how hope could spring amidst suffering.

From BBC

He had been transferred to the city after receiving death threats in the rural parish where he had previously worked.

From BBC

Related Words

• church