PRIESTESS

priestess

(noun) a woman priest

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

priestess

A woman with religious duties and responsibilities in certain non-Christian religions.

(religious slur, uncommon) A female Christian priest or minister, typically in a Protestant, Old Catholic, or independent Catholic denomination.

(colloquial, obsolete) A priest’s wife.

Usage notes

Chiefly with regard to ancient or Pagan religions, or metaphorically. In Protestant denominations that admit women to the priesthood, such as Anglicanism, they are generally referred to as priests.

Synonyms

• (female non-Christian religious figure): kahuna, mamaloi, mambo

• (priest’s wife): presbytera, presbyteress

Hyponyms

• (female non-Christian religious figure): bacchante, high priestess

Verb

priestess (third-person singular simple present priestesses, present participle priestessing, simple past and past participle priestessed)

(transitive) To oversee (a pagan ceremony, etc.) as priestess.

Source: Wiktionary

Priest"ess, n.

Definition: A woman who officiated in sacred rites among pagans. Abp. Potter.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition