parish Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a local church community
  2. noun the local subdivision of a diocese committed to one pastor

WordNet

Par"ish noun
Etymology
OE. parishe, paresche, parosche, OF. paroisse, parosse, paroiche, F. paroisse, L. parochia, corrupted fr. paroecia, Gr. , fr. dwelling beside or near; beside + a house, dwelling; akin to L. vicus village. See Vicinity, and cf. Parochial.
Definitions
  1. (Eccl. & Eng. Law) (a) That circuit of ground committed to the charge of one parson or vicar, or other minister having cure of souls therein. Cowell. (b) The same district, constituting a civil jurisdiction, with its own officers and regulations, as respects the poor, taxes, etc. ✍ Populous and extensive parishes are now divided, under various parliamentary acts, into smaller ecclesiastical districts for spiritual purposes. Mozley & W.
  2. An ecclesiastical society, usually not bounded by territorial limits, but composed of those persons who choose to unite under the charge of a particular priest, clergyman, or minister; also, loosely, the territory in which the members of a congregation live. U. S.
  3. In Louisiana, a civil division corresponding to a county in other States.
Par"ish adjective
Definitions
  1. Of or pertaining to a parish; parochial; as, a parish church; parish records; a parish priest; maintained by the parish; as, parish poor. Dryden.

Webster 1913