presbyter

[prez-bi-ter, pres-]

noun

1. (in the early Christian church) an office bearer who exercised teaching, priestly, and administrative functions.

2. (in hierarchical churches) a priest.

3. an elder in a Presbyterian church.

presbyter

/ ˈprɛzbɪtə /

noun

1. 1. an elder of a congregation in the early Christian Church

   2. (in some Churches having episcopal politics) an official who is subordinate to a bishop and has administrative, teaching, and sacerdotal functions

2. (in some hierarchical Churches) another name for priest

3. 1. a teaching elder

   2. a ruling elder

Other Word Forms

• presbyteral adjective
• nonpresbyter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of presbyter¹

1590–1600; < Late Latin, noun use of the adj.: older < Greek presbýteros, equivalent to présby ( s ) old + -teros comparative suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of presbyter¹

C16: from Late Latin, from Greek presbuteros an older man, from presbus old man

Example Sentences

“When Mona asked … for just about everybody in the Presbyterian, it was an instantaneous recognition of how much sense this made,” said Wendy Tajima, executive presbyter, or spiritual leader, of the church.

From Los Angeles Times

The Latin would have been “presbyter” – an elder – the word that would in later centuries give us both “priest” and “Presbyterian.”

From Fox News

“One of the things our commission is doing is deciding how to move forward on each of those properties,” said the Rev. Alan Thames, executive presbyter of the Whitewater Valley Presbytery.

From Seattle Times

The writer is a general presbyter for the National Capital Presbytery.

From Washington Post

The writer is general presbyter of the National Capital Presbytery.

From Washington Post