vicar
vicar Lexical Profile
vicar Game Scores & Validity
• noun
British A member of the clergy in the Church of England or other Anglican churches who is appointed to take charge of a parish.
"The local vicar visited the ailing parishioners and offered them comfort."
A representative, deputy, or substitute, especially a cleric acting in the place of a higher-ranking official.
"In Roman Catholic theology, the Pope is traditionally referred to as the Vicar of Christ."
Word Nuance & Usage
In the Church of England, the historical distinction between a vicar and a rector depended on who collected the parish tithes, though today their pastoral duties are practically identical.
• Rhymes for vicar
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'viker', via Old French 'vicaire', from the Latin 'vicarius' meaning 'substitute or deputy', which derives from 'vicis' (turn, change, or stead).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.