parish

noun

par·​ish ˈper-ish 

ˈpa-rish

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

Brandon Bell / Getty Images Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said the National Guard would fan out to parishes impacted by Francine. —CBS News, 12 Sep. 2024

And in anticipation of the storm, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry announced Tuesday that agencies across the state were preparing and coordinating and President Joe Biden declared an emergency in Louisiana and ordered federal assistance to several parishes. —Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 11 Sep. 2024

Some parishes, including St. Mary and Terrebonne, started to close off floodgates and distribute sand bags Monday. —Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 10 Sep. 2024

Nestled in the hills of St. Patrick’s parish, about an hour from the capital of St. George’s, this historic 17th-century plantation is a fully functional estate where sustainable farming practices yield fresh, healthy, organic produce. —Grace White, Essence, 9 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English parisshe, from Anglo-French paroche, parosse, from Late Latin parochia, from Late Greek paroikia, from paroikos Christian, from Greek, stranger, from para- + oikos house — more at vicinity

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing parish

• inter-parish
• parish-pump

Kids 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