reverend

reverend
    adj 1: worthy of adoration or reverence [syn: {reverend},
           {sublime}]
    n 1: a member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of the
         Christian Church [syn: {clergyman}, {reverend}, {man of the
         cloth}] [ant: {layman}, {layperson}, {secular}]
    2: a title of respect for a clergyman
    

Reverend \Rev"er*end\, a. [F. r['e]v['e]rend, L. reverendus, fr.
   revereri. See {Revere}.]
   Worthy of reverence; entitled to respect mingled with fear
   and affection; venerable.
   [1913 Webster]

         A reverend sire among them came.         --Milton.
   [1913 Webster]

         They must give good example and reverend deportment in
         the face of their children.              --Jer. Taylor.
   [1913 Webster]

   Note: This word is commonly given as a title of respect to
         ecclesiastics. A clergyman is styled the reverend; a
         dean, the very reverend; a bishop, the right reverend;
         an archbishop, the most reverend.
         [1913 Webster]
    

40 Moby Thesaurus words for "reverend":
      august, awe-inspiring, awesome, awful, churchman, cleric, clerk,
      creditable, divine, dreadful, ecclesiastic, esteemed, estimable,
      held in esteem, highly esteemed, highly regarded, highly reputed,
      highly respectable, honorable, honored, in favor, in good odor,
      in high favor, meritorious, minister, noble, patriarchal, preacher,
      prestigious, reputable, respectable, respected, revered,
      reverential, time-honored, venerable, venerated, well-thought-of,
      worshipful, worthy