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

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

According to Mr Lawson, all four lines of Mary Anne MacLeod's maternal ancestry had been moved to Stornoway parish from elsewhere on the island as a result of the Clearances.

From BBC

"I know union well and I think they got him cheap," said Matt Parish, who coached Suaalii at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, earlier this year.

From BBC

Red Cross volunteers set up cots and tables as the organization began converting the temporary evacuation center at Padre Serra Parish into an overnight shelter.

From Los Angeles Times

Linda Elmo was waiting outside Padre Serra Parish in Camarillo for Ventura County emergency officials to bring a wheelchair for her to get to the building, an evacuation center amid the ferocious Mountain fire.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• church