parson
gb/pˈɑɹsən/ us/pˈɑɹsən/
C1
English
~ 26700
plébános, lelkész, anglikán plébános
NOUN
C1
LITERARY
1
Usage pattern:
a parson at [a church/place]; the parson of [a parish]
The village parson visited every house in his parish at Christmas.
A falu plébánosa karácsonykor egyházközségében minden házat felkeresett.
In the novel, the country parson is portrayed as a kind but absent‑minded man.
A regényben a falusi plébánost kedves, de szórakozott emberként ábrázolják.
The old stone church and its parson were at the heart of the community.
Her grandfather had been the local parson in a small coastal town.
The parson delivered a short sermon before the harvest feast began.
Learner examples
The parson lives next to the small church.
A plébános a kis templom mellett lakik.
Everyone in the village knows the parson.
A faluban mindenki ismeri a plébánost.
The parson talks to people when they have problems.
The parson leads the service every Sunday.
A new parson came to work at the old church.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "parson" with the much more common word "person"; these are different words with different meanings and pronunciations. Learners may also think "parson" is a normal modern word for any religious leader, but in most modern English it sounds old‑fashioned or literary; words like "priest" or "pastor" are more common today.
Meaning
Christian priest or minister
Collocations
country parson
|village parson
|local parson
|parish parson
|the parson's wife
|the old parson
Synonyms
pastor (More common in modern everyday English for a Protestant church leader, especially in American English; not as old-fashioned as "parson".)
Antonyms
layperson (A member of a religious community who is not an ordained priest or minister, so the opposite of a parson in terms of role.)
Themes
religion
|society
|history
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A Christian priest or church leader, especially in an old village or country church.
A Christian priest or minister, especially one responsible for a parish church, used mainly in historical or literary contexts.
NOUN
C2
ARCHAIC
2
Usage pattern:
the parson of [a parish]
Under the old arrangement, the parson of the parish was entitled to collect tithes from local farmers.
A régi rendszerben az egyházközség anglikán plébánosa jogosult volt tizedet szedni a helyi gazdáktól.
By law, the parson was responsible for the repair of the chancel of the church.
A törvény szerint az anglikán plébános felelt a templom szentélyének javításáért.
The deed clearly names the parson as the legal holder of the benefice.
Disputes over the parson's right to the glebe land were common in the eighteenth century.
Learner examples
In old English law, the parson had legal rights to church land.
A régi angol jogban az anglikán plébánosnak törvényes jogai voltak az egyházi földekkel kapcsolatban.
The parson of the parish received money from the farmers.
Az egyházközség anglikán plébánosa pénzt kapott a gazdáktól.
The parson was the official priest named in the legal papers.
The parson’s job included both church work and legal duties.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this is a narrow, historical legal‑church meaning and may treat it as the general modern word for a priest. In current English, this sense mostly appears in historical or legal texts.
Meaning
Rector of an Anglican parish
Collocations
parson of the parish
|rights of the parson
|the parson's glebe
|incumbent parson
|parson and his benefice
Synonyms
rector (More precise for the official priest in charge of a Church of England parish; still used in modern church and legal contexts, while "parson" sounds more old‑fashioned.)
Antonyms
parishioner (A regular member of a parish congregation rather than the official priest in charge; contrasts with the parson’s official role.)
Themes
religion
|law
|history
Definition
In old Church of England and English law, the official priest of a parish who had both the church work and legal rights, like receiving church payments.
In traditional Church of England and English law, the rector or incumbent of a parish, legally holding its spiritual duties and certain rights such as tithes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
parson
IPA
GB/pˈɑɹsən/
US/pˈɑɹsən/
Syllables & stress
par - son (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (par)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: parson
- Plural: parsons
Word family
Expressions
parson's nose
1/pˈɑɹsənz nˈoʊz/
fixed phrase
informal
Fatty tail of a roast bird
The short, fatty tail part of a cooked chicken or turkey, usually at the back end of the bird.
Examples
- He always claimed the parson's nose was the tastiest part of the chicken.
- The children fought over who would get the parson's nose at Sunday lunch.
- She cut off the parson's nose before carving the turkey, because she found it too fatty.