ecclesiastic

ecclesiastic
    adj 1: of or associated with a church (especially a Christian
           Church); "ecclesiastic history" [syn: {ecclesiastical},
           {ecclesiastic}]
    n 1: a clergyman or other person in religious orders [syn:
         {cleric}, {churchman}, {divine}, {ecclesiastic}]
    

Ecclesiastic \Ec*cle`si*as"tic\ (?; 277), a. [L. ecclesiasticus,
   Gr. ?, fr. ? an assembly of citizens called out by the crier;
   also, the church, fr. ? called out, fr. ? to call out; 'ek
   out + ? to call. See {Ex-}, and {Hale}, v. t., {Haul}.]
   Of or pertaining to the church. See {Ecclesiastical}.
   "Ecclesiastic government." --Swift.
   [1913 Webster]
    

Ecclesiastic \Ec*cle`si*as"tic\, n.
   A person in holy orders, or consecrated to the service of the
   church and the ministry of religion; a clergyman; a priest.
   [1913 Webster]

         From a humble ecclesiastic, he was subsequently
         preferred to the highest dignities of the church.
                                                  --Prescott.
   [1913 Webster]
    

ECCLESIASTIC. A clergyman; one destined to the divine ministry, as, a 
bishop, a priest, a deacon. Dom. Lois Civ. liv. prel. t. 2, s. 2, n. 14. 
    

30 Moby Thesaurus words for "ecclesiastic":
      DD, Doctor of Divinity, Holy Joe, abbe, chaplain, churchman,
      clergyman, cleric, clerical, clerk, curate, cure, divine,
      man of God, military chaplain, minister, padre, parson, pastor,
      preacher, rector, reverend, servant of God, shepherd, sky pilot,
      supply clergy, supply minister, the Reverend, the very Reverend,
      tonsured cleric