Presbyter

prez′bi-tėr, n. an elder, a priest: a minister or priest in rank between a bishop and a deacon: a member of a presbytery.— adjs. Presbyt′eral , Presbytē′rial , Presbytē′rian , pertaining to, or consisting of, presbyters: pertaining to Presbytery or that form of church government in which all the clergy or presbyters are equal—opp. to Episcopacy .— n. Presbyt′erāte , the office of a presbyter: a presbytery.— adv. Presbytē′rially .— ns. Presbytē′rian ; Presbytē′rianism , the form of church government by presbyters; Pres′bytership ; Pres′bytery , a church court ranking between the Kirk-se ion and the Synod, consisting of the ministers and one elder, a layman, from each church within a certain district: that part of the church reserved for the officiating priests: ( R.C. ) a clergyman's house.— Reformed Presbyterian Church , a religious body in Scotland, called also Cameron i ans , who remained separate from the Church of Scotland and maintained the perpetual obligation of the Covenants—the greater part joined the Free Church in 1876; United Presbyterian Church , a religious body formed by the union of the Sece ion and Relief Churches in 1847—itself uniting with the Free Church in 1900. [L.,—Gr. presbyteros , comp. of presbys , old.]