parish

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/ˈpærɪʃ/
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A local church community or district, and in some places a small civil administrative area.
Practice using parish in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • She has belonged to the same parish for twenty years.
  • New families were welcomed into the parish.
  • Civil parishes do not always match church boundaries.
  • The village is part of a small civil parish.
  • The parish council discussed repairs to the playground.

Similar words

church district
civil parish
local government area
congregation
church community
local district
municipal unit
administrative parish
local church area
ecclesiastical district

Meanings

Church district or community

noun
everyday
neutral
A local church area and the people served by it, usually under the care of a priest, pastor, or minister.

Usage

Use parish when talking about a local church community or the area assigned to it. It is especially common in Catholic, Anglican, and some other Christian traditions.

Examples

  • The parish raised money for the food bank.
  • She has belonged to the same parish for twenty years.
  • The priest serves three rural parishes.
  • The parish organized a summer festival.
  • New families were welcomed into the parish.

Common mistakes

A parish is not simply any church building. It usually means the local community, area, or administrative unit connected with a church.
IncorrectCorrect
The parish was built of stone. The parish church was built of stone.
He belongs to a parish at St. Mark's. He belongs to the parish of St. Mark's.
Parish means only the priest. Parish means the local church community or area.
Several parish attends the service. Several parishes attend the service.

Similar words

church community
local church area
congregation
ecclesiastical district
church district

Civil local-government area

noun
legal
technical
In some countries or regions, a small local administrative district, sometimes governed by a parish council or similar body.

Usage

Use civil parish when the local-government meaning might be confused with the church meaning. This sense is secular and distinct from a church parish.

Examples

  • The village is part of a small civil parish.
  • The parish council discussed repairs to the playground.
  • Some English towns are divided into civil parishes.
  • The parish meeting is open to local electors.
  • Civil parishes do not always match church boundaries.

Common mistakes

The civil sense is secular, not necessarily religious. In England, civil parishes and ecclesiastical parishes are separate systems.
IncorrectCorrect
The civil parish is run by the priest. The civil parish is run by a parish council.
Every parish is a church district. Some parishes are civil administrative areas.
The parish council celebrates Mass. The parish council handles local civic matters.
Civil parish means cathedral area. Civil parish means a local government area.

Similar words

civil parish
local government area
administrative parish
local district
municipal unit

Usage

Use parish for the church community or district and civil parish for local government. For the building, parish church is more precise.

Common mistakes

Do not assume every parish is religious. Some parishes are church communities, while others are civil local-government areas.

Etymology

From Old French paroisse, from Late Latin parochia, from Greek paroikia, meaning a neighboring community. The church sense came first, and later some places developed a civil-administration sense.

FAQ

What does parish mean?

It can mean a local church community or district, or a civil local-government area.

What is a parish church?

A parish church is the local church that serves as the main religious center of a parish.

What is a civil parish?

A civil parish is a small local-government area, separate from a church parish in some systems.

What is the plural of parish?

The plural is parishes.

Is a parish always religious?

No. Many parishes are religious, but civil parishes are secular administrative areas.

What is a parishioner?

A parishioner is a person who belongs to or lives in a parish.

How do you use parish in a sentence?

For example: The parish raised money for the food bank.

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