Phrase guide

high priest

noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A clergyman with a higher function than a normal priest.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: lifestyle, religion

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

In the Bible, the male individual who was responsible for making the annual sacrifice on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur); always a descendant of Aaron, the older brother of Moses. See Kohen Gadol.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Jesus Christ.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: Christianity

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The second-lowest office in the Melchizedek priesthood.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Mormonism

Examples

  • Jake was ordained a high priest when he was called to be a counselor in a bishopric.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A person holding a position of power or influence; an authority in a field of study, doctrine, art or a movement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A second or third degree male witch in Wicca.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: Wicca, lifestyle, religion

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

a senior clergyman and dignitary

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: archpriest, hierarch, prelate, primate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: priest

Narrower terms: Inge, William Ralph Inge, Gloomy Dean, Jimenez de Cisneros, Francisco Jimenez de Cisneros, Newman, John Henry Newman, Cardinal Newman, Richelieu, Duc de Richelieu, Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu, Tutu, Desmond Tutu, Ussher, James Ussher, Usher, James Usher, Wykeham, William of Wykeham, Wyszynski, Stefan Wyszynski

8

noun

Meaning 8

a preeminent authority or major proponent of a movement or doctrine

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he's the high priest of contemporary jazz

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: authority

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

61 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Akkadian: 𒂗 (enu) — high clergyman
  • Bulgarian: първосвеще́ник (pǎrvosvešténik) — high clergyman
  • Bulgarian: върхо́вен жрец (vǎrhóven žrec) — high clergyman
  • Chinese Cantonese: 大祭司 (daai6 zai3 si1) — high clergyman
  • Chinese Mandarin: 大祭司 (dà jìsī) — high clergyman
  • Chinese Mandarin: 儒生 (rúshēng) — high clergyman
  • Coptic: ⲁⲣⲭⲓⲉⲣⲉⲩⲥ (arkhiereus) — high clergyman
  • Dutch: hogepriester — high clergyman
  • Egyptian: nTr-Hm-tp*p:y (ḥm-nṯr tpj) — high clergyman
  • Esperanto: ĉefpastro — high clergyman
  • Finnish: ylipappi — high clergyman
  • French: grand prêtre — high clergyman
  • French: grand-prêtre — high clergyman
  • German: Hohepriester — high clergyman
  • Ancient Greek: ἀρχιερεύς (arkhiereús) — high clergyman
  • Hindi: महान्त (mahānt) — high clergyman
  • Hungarian: főpap — high clergyman
  • Irish: ardsagart — high clergyman
  • Irish: uachtarán na sagart — high clergyman
  • Italian: sommo sacerdote — high clergyman
  • Japanese: 大祭司 (daisaishi) — high clergyman
  • Japanese: 宮司 (guuji) — high clergyman
  • Japanese: 住職 (juushoku) — high clergyman
  • Latin: pontifex — high clergyman
  • Latin: antistes — high clergyman
  • Macedonian: првосвештеник (prvosveštenik) — high clergyman
  • Malay: paderi tinggi — high clergyman
  • Manx: ard-saggyrt — high clergyman
  • Plautdietsch: Huagapriesta — high clergyman
  • Polish: arcykapłan — high clergyman
  • Portuguese: sumo sacerdote — high clergyman
  • Romanian: mare preot — high clergyman
  • Russian: первосвяще́нник (pervosvjaščénnik) — high clergyman
  • Russian: волхв (volxv) — high clergyman
  • Serbo-Croatian: главни свештеник — high clergyman
  • Serbo-Croatian: главни жрец — high clergyman
  • Serbo-Croatian: glavni sveštenik — high clergyman
  • Serbo-Croatian: glavni žrec — high clergyman
  • Spanish: sumo sacerdote — high clergyman
  • Thai: มหาปุโรหิต — high clergyman
  • Ugaritic: 𐎗𐎁 𐎋𐎅𐎐 (rb khn) — high clergyman
  • Yup'ik: allgiliyaq — high clergyman
  • Dutch: Hogepriester — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • Finnish: ylipappi — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • French: Grand Prêtre — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • French: souverain sacrificateur — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • French: Grand-prêtre — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • German: Hoherpriester — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • Gothic: 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐌲𐌿𐌳𐌾𐌰 (ufargudja) — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • Ancient Greek: ἀρχιερεύς (arkhiereús) — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • Hebrew: כהן גדול (kohen gadol) — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • Italian: sommo sacerdote — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • Plautdietsch: Huagepriesta — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • Russian: первосвященник (pervosvjaščennik) — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • Swahili: Kuhani Mkuu — Bible: male person responsible for making the annual sacrifice
  • Finnish: ylipappi — office in Mormonism
  • Macedonian: првосвештеник (prvosveštenik) — office in Mormonism
  • Polish: arcykapłan — office in Mormonism
  • Russian: первосвяще́нник (pervosvjaščénnik) — office in Mormonism
  • Finnish: auktoriteetti — powerful person, authority
  • Finnish: guru — powerful person, authority