priestdom

English

Etymology

priest +‎ -dom

Noun

priestdom (plural priestdoms)

1. (rare) Political rule or sweeping social control exercised by a class of priests; a ruling class of priests.
   • 1863, “Merle D'Aubigné's History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin,”, in The Christian Observer, page 298:

     "They demolished," he says,"by the Word of God, the priestdom of the Pope and his lofty elevation."

   • 1875 January 16, “Editor's Table”, in Appleton's Journal, volume 13, page 86:

     The Spaniards have become callous by the long rule of despotism, and especially of priestdom.

   • 1977, Ian C. Wilson, “Education and Politics: The Education Policy of the German Social Democratic Party, 1906-1922”, in Oxford Review of Education, volume 3, number 1, page 43:

     The first step must be: "The removal of the important issue of the schools from the dark chambers of the state parliaments, especially from the Prussian bastion of Junkerdom and priestdom, into the bright light and the freer atmosphere of the Reichstag." [translation of SPD Protokoll über die Verhandlunge des Parteitags 1906]

   • 2001, P. C. Joshi, “In the Lap of the Himalaya: Gandhi's Visit to Uttarakhand”, in Economic and Political Weekly, volume 36, number 34, India, page 3304:

     Both Vivekandanda and Gandhi were witness to the hierarchical, rigid and decadent social system, a religiosity dominated by priestdom causing fragmentation of society into pieces and the subordination of women by men.

2. (rare) Priests collectively or priests of a particular religious group or affiliation collectively.
   • 1886, Thomas Edwin Brown, Studies in Modern Socialism and Labor Problems, page 202:

     The Social Democracy will not recede; it will pursue it course and accomplish its design, even though all priestdom should rise against it, like a cloud of locusts thick enough to darken the sun.

   • 1992, Jeffrey S. Soles, “The Prepalatial Cemeteries at Mochlos and Gournia and the House Tombs of Bronze Age Crete”, in Hesperia Supplements, volume 24, India, page 253:

     [A] population unit somewhat larger than a nuclear family used these tombs. If it were twice as large and consisted of ten individuals, it might be identified as an extended family or perhaps a fraternal organization such as a priestdom or warrior elite.

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