prior
/ˈpɹaɪ.(ə)ɹ/ noun C2- In an abbey, the person ranking just after the abbot, appointed as his deputy; a prior claustral.
- The head of a priory (“a monastery which is usually a branch of an abbey”), or some other minor or smaller monastery; a prior conventual.
- The head friar of a house of friars.
- The head of the Arrouaisian, Augustinian, and formerly Premonstratensian religious orders.
- An honorary position held by a priest in some cathedrals.
- A chief magistrate of the Republic of Florence (1115–1569) in what is now Italy.
- The elected head of a guild of craftsmen or merchants in some countries in Europe and South America.
Plural priors
From the library
Elizabeth, feeling it incumbent on her to relieve him from so unpleasant a situation, now put herself forward to confirm his account, by mentioning her prior knowledge of it from Charlotte herself; and endeavoured to put a stop to the exclamations of her mother and sisters, by the earnestness of her congratulations to Sir William, in which she was readily joined by Jane, and by making a variety of remarks on the happiness that might be expected from the match, the excellent character of Mr.
Wickham, undoubtedly by design; for there proved to have been a prior acquaintance between him and Mrs.
Prior to Bazalgette's brilliant intervention, recurrent outbreaks of cholera had repeatedly devastated the city, thriving in the deplorable sanitary conditions of early industrialization.
Other matches
Learn prior in real texts
With a free account, hover any word in the library for its meaning, hear it read aloud, save words for review timed to your memory, and see how much of each book you already know.