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# presbyter

noun (a presbyter, presbyters)

«presbyter» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (church) An elder or leader of a local church in the early Christian Church. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presbyter/#m1)
2. (church) In some churches, a priest; in Presbyterian churches, an elder who helps lead the congregation. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presbyter/#m2)

### In the lessons

Met in church history, Bible study and the names of churches: the Presbyterian Church is named after presbyters (elders) who lead it together. In the New Testament presbyters looked after the first Christian communities. Phrases: «the presbyters of the church», «ordained a presbyter».

### Examples

- In the early Church, presbyters cared for the believers in each town. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presbyter/#x1)
- The Bible says Paul met the presbyters of the church in Ephesus. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presbyter/#x2)
- Our church is Presbyterian, which means it is led by elders. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presbyter/#x3)
- A presbyter helped the bishop with services. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presbyter/#x4)
- The new presbyter was ordained on Sunday. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presbyter/#x5)
- In some churches the word presbyter means the same as priest. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presbyter/#x6)

### Note

Formal and churchy; everyday words are «elder» or «priest». The word «priest» actually comes from «presbyter». Related: «Presbyterian», «presbytery» (a group of elders, or a priest's house in Catholic use).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «presbyter» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presbyter/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«presbyter» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/presbyter.html) on Mova free.