Parish

par′ish, n. a district under one pastor: an ecclesiastical district having officers of its own and supporting its own poor: the people of a parish.— adj. belonging or relating to a parish: employed or supported by the parish.— n. Parish′ioner , one who belongs to or is connected with a parish: a member of a parish church.— Parish clerk , the clerk or recording officer of a parish: the one who leads the responses in the service of the Church of England; Parish priest , a priest who has charge of a parish; Parish register , a book in which the births, marriages, and deaths of a parish are registered. [Fr. paroi e —L. parœcia —Gr. paroikia — paroikos , dwelling beside— para , beside, oikos , a dwelling.]