1
a(1)
: the ecclesiastical unit of area committed to one pastor
(2)
: the residents of such an area
b
British
: a subdivision of a county often coinciding with an original ecclesiastical parish and constituting the unit of local government
2
: a local church community composed of the members or constituents of a Protestant church
3
: a civil division of the state of Louisiana corresponding to a county in other states
Examples of parish in a Sentence
The parish will be getting a new priest soon.
The parish has grown significantly in the last three years.
Recent Examples on the Web
From the beginnings of the Great Migration, Johnson writes, most Catholic parishes, like residential neighborhoods and public schools, were strictly divided by race.
—
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 10 Jan. 2025
Students plan nighttime vigil at Catholic parish on Madison's west side
As the City Church service ended, another began at St. Maria Goretti Parish.
—Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 17 Dec. 2024
The only result of the two parishes to have more than 50% of voters participate was the race for mayor of the village of Rodessa in Caddo.
—Jacob Mathews | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Dec. 2024
That includes a permanent $2,000 pay raise for teachers by paying off teacher pension debt, a doubling of the standard deduction for seniors, and an option for parishes to repeal the business inventory property tax, among other changes.
—Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for parish 
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Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 10 Jan. 2025
Students plan nighttime vigil at Catholic parish on Madison's west side
As the City Church service ended, another began at St. Maria Goretti Parish.
—Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 17 Dec. 2024
The only result of the two parishes to have more than 50% of voters participate was the race for mayor of the village of Rodessa in Caddo.
—Jacob Mathews | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Dec. 2024
That includes a permanent $2,000 pay raise for teachers by paying off teacher pension debt, a doubling of the standard deduction for seniors, and an option for parishes to repeal the business inventory property tax, among other changes.
—Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for parish
Dictionary Entries Near parish
Cite this Entry
“Parish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parish. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
parish
noun
par·ish
ˈpar-ish 
1
a
: a section of a church district in the care of a priest or minister
b
: the persons who live in and attend the church of such a section
2
: the members of a church
3
: a division of the state of Louisiana that is similar to a county in other states
Legal Definition
parish
noun
par·ish
ˈpar-ish
: a civil division of the state of Louisiana corresponding to a county in other states
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