"priest" in seven languages
Meaningpriest
Spanish
/saθeɾˈdote/
masc.other source · Latin SACERDŌTEM (learned)
A parish priest is usually el cura, from CŪRAM 'care (of souls)'.
French
/pʁɛtʁ/
masc.inherited
Italian
/ˈprɛte/
masc.inherited
Portuguese
/ˈpadɾi/
masc.other source · Latin PATREM 'father'
Romanian
/ˈpreot/
masc.inherited
Romanian's core Christian words are old Latin: preot from PRESBYTER, biserică 'church' from BASILICA.
Catalan
/kəpəˈʎa/
masc.other source · Medieval Latin CAPELLĀNUM 'chaplain'
English
/pɹist/
from Latin/French · Old English prēost, from Late Latin PRESBYTER
The Latin ancestor
PRESBYTER‘elder (Greek presbýteros), then church elder’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
Greek presbýteros 'elder' was worn down in speech to French prêtre (its circumflex marks a lost s, Old French prestre), Italian prete and English priest. Spanish prefers the learned sacerdote or the everyday cura.
English relatives: presbyter, Presbyterian; sacerdotal (es)
Sound laws at work
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In a sentence
- esEl sacerdote bendijo a la pareja.
- frLe prêtre a béni le couple.
- itIl prete ha benedetto la coppia.
- ptO padre abençoou o casal.
- roPreotul a binecuvântat cuplul.
- caEl capellà va beneir la parella.
- enThe priest blessed the couple.