presbyter

English

Etymology

From Late Latin presbyter, from Ancient Greek πρεσβύτερος (presbúteros), from πρέσβυς (présbus, “elder, older”). Doublet of prester.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹezbɪtə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹezbɪtɚ/, /ˈpɹesbɪtɚ/

Noun

presbyter (plural presbyters)

1. A priest or minister in various churches.
2. An elder of the Presbyterian church.
3. An elder of the congregation in early Christianity.

Related terms

• presbytera
• presbyterate
• presbytery

 

Translations

priest in various churches

• Armenian: երեց (hy) (erecʿ)
• Breton: beleg (br) m
• Bulgarian: презвитер m (prezviter)
• Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} presbitero
• French: prêtre (fr) m
• Irish: preispitéir m
• Italian: presbitero m

• Latin: presbyter m
• Polish: prezbiter (pl) m, kapłan (pl) m
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: прѐзбитер m

  Roman: prèzbiter (sh) m

• Spanish: presbítero (es) m

References

• presbyter in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

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Latin

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek πρεσβύτερος (presbúteros).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈpres.by.ter/, [ˈpɾɛs̠bʏt̪ɛr]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈpres.bi.ter/, [ˈpɾɛzbit̪ɛr]

Noun

presbyter m (genitive presbyterī); second declension

1. (Late Latin, Christian Latin) an elder, presbyter

Declension

Second-declension noun (nominative singular in -er).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	presbyter	presbyterī
Genitive	presbyterī	presbyterōrum
Dative	presbyterō	presbyterīs
Accusative	presbyterum	presbyterōs
Ablative	presbyterō	presbyterīs
Vocative	presbyter	presbyterī

Derived terms

• presbytera
• presbyterātus

Related terms

• presbyterium

Descendants

• → Albanian: prift
• Aromanian: preftu
• Catalan: prevere
• Corsican: preti
• Dalmatian: priast
• Emilian: prît
• → English: presbyter, prester
• Old Francoprovençal: prestre, prestro (nominative form) ; preveiro (from the accusative form)
  • Franco-Provençal: prêtro
• French: prêtre
• Friulian: predi
• → Irish: preispitéir
• Italian: prete
• → Middle Dutch: priester
  • Dutch: priester
    • Afrikaans: priester
• Neapolitan: prevete, preote
• Occitan: preire, preveire, prestre
• → Old English: prēost
  • Middle English: prest, preest
    • English: priest
  • → Old Norse: prestr
• Old French: prestre, provoire
• → Old High German: prēstar
  • Middle High German: priester
    • German: Priester
• → Old Welsh: primter
  • → Primitive Irish: ᚊᚏᚔᚋᚔᚈᚔᚏ (qrimitir)
    • Old Irish: cruimther
      • Middle Irish: cruimther, cruimmther, cruimper
        • Irish: cruimhthir
        • Scottish Gaelic: cruimthear
• Romanian: preot
• Romansch: prer, prear, preir
• Sardinian: preide, prede, predi
• Sicilian: prèviti
• Spanish: preste
• Venetian: prète, prèvede, pre

References

• presbyter in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1879
• presbyter in Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700‎^[1], pre-publication website, 2005-2016, retrieved 16 July 2016