1
: of or relating to a priest or the priesthood : sacerdotal
2
: characteristic of or befitting a priest
priestliness
noun
Examples of priestly in a Sentence
He is a kind, priestly man.
majestically robed in priestly garments
Recent Examples on the Web
This violence did little to deter upper-caste Hindus—namely Brahmins (the traditional priestly caste), Kshatriyas, (the warrior caste), and Banias (the trading caste)—from becoming BJP supporters.
—
Hartosh Singh Bal, Foreign Affairs, 13 Apr. 2022
As a member of all the priestly colleges, the emperor was effectively the head of Roman religion as well as its chief priest.
—Mary Beard, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
However, as the services are allowed to utilize rings, prayers and priestly blessings, many are concerned the accommodations have effectively overruled this marital doctrine.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 17 Nov. 2023
Ireland has a mere 20 seminarians total, and much of Europe is seeing precipitous declines in priestly vocations as well as parish attendance.
—Tim Busch, National Review, 23 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for priestly 
Hartosh Singh Bal, Foreign Affairs, 13 Apr. 2022
As a member of all the priestly colleges, the emperor was effectively the head of Roman religion as well as its chief priest.
—Mary Beard, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
However, as the services are allowed to utilize rings, prayers and priestly blessings, many are concerned the accommodations have effectively overruled this marital doctrine.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 17 Nov. 2023
Ireland has a mere 20 seminarians total, and much of Europe is seeing precipitous declines in priestly vocations as well as parish attendance.
—Tim Busch, National Review, 23 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for priestly
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'priestly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near priestly
Cite this Entry
“Priestly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/priestly. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
priestly
adjective
priest·ly
ˈprēst-lē 
priestlier; priestliest
1
: of or relating to a priest or the priesthood
2
: characteristic of or suitable for a priest
priestliness
noun
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