- [countable] an area that has its own church and that a priest is responsible for
- a parish church/priest
- He is vicar of a large rural parish.
- (also civil parish)[countable] (in England) a small country area that has its own elected local government
- This area in the north of the county comprises 26 parishes.
- [countable + singular or plural verb] the people living in a particular area, especially those who go to church
- The parish was/were very welcoming when I first arrived.
- [countable] (in the US state of Louisiana) a county
Word OriginMiddle English: from Anglo-Norman French and Old French paroche, from late Latin parochia, from Greek paroikia ‘sojourning’, based on para- ‘beside, subsidiary’ + oikos ‘dwelling’.
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parish