presbyter

pres·by·ter  (przb-tr, prs-)

n.

1. A priest in various hierarchical churches.

2.

a. A teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church.

b. A ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church.

3. An elder of the congregation in the early Christian church.

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[Late Latin, from Greek presbuteros, from comparative of presbus, old man; see per¹ in Indo-European roots.]

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presbyter [ˈprɛzbɪtə]

n

1. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms)

a.  an elder of a congregation in the early Christian Church

b.  (in some Churches having episcopal politics) an official who is subordinate to a bishop and has administrative, teaching, and sacerdotal functions

2. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) (in some hierarchical Churches) another name for priest

3. (Christianity / Protestantism) (in the Presbyterian Church)

a.  a teaching elder

b.  a ruling elder

[from Late Latin, from Greek presbuteros an older man, from presbus old man]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

presbyter - an elder in the Presbyterian Church elder - any of various church officers