What does vicar mean?
Vicar most commonly denotes a Christian clergyman associated with a parish. In the Church of England, it is a formal title for a priest who has responsibility for a parish or represents a bishop; in some Roman Catholic and Episcopal settings, it can refer to a priest responsible for a particular church or district. The word may also be used more broadly for an authorized deputy, especially in historical or ecclesiastical writing. Its modern religious sense is therefore narrower than its original sense of a substitute or representative. The term carries a distinctly institutional and formal connotation rather than suggesting a member of a congregation informally. It is especially familiar in British English because of its long association with Anglican parish life, although comparable usages occur in American English. Vicar is related in origin to words such as viceroy, vicarious, and vicissitude, all reflecting the Latin root for a turn, change, or substitution.
nounA vicar is a member of the clergy with responsibility for a parish, especially in the Church of England, or a priest responsible for a church or district in some other Christian denominations. Historically and more generally, the word can also denote a deputy or representative acting on another person's behalf.
- In the Church of England, a priest responsible for a parish or acting in a representative capacity.
- In some other Christian denominations, particularly Roman Catholic and Episcopal contexts, a priest responsible for a church or district.
- More generally, a deputy or representative empowered to act for another person, especially an ecclesiastical authority.
"The vicar presided over the Sunday service and welcomed visitors to the historic parish church."
"The vicar of St Anne's announced that the church would remain open for evening prayer."
"By the tenth century, the vicar had become an established deputy of the bishop within the ecclesiastical system."
The regular plural of the noun is vicars.
"The vicars of neighboring parishes held a joint service."
The title commonly given to a parish priest began with a simple idea: acting as someone else's deputy.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does vicar come from?
Vicar entered Middle English through Anglo-Norman French vicaire, which was borrowed from Late Latin vicarius, meaning a substitute or deputy. Latin vicarius was derived from vicis, meaning a turn or change, reflecting the idea of taking someone's place. Its early English uses included secular as well as ecclesiastical senses, but it became especially established as a title for an ecclesiastical deputy and later for a priest responsible for a parish.
Related word forms
How vicar is actually used
Vicar is primarily a formal religious title, most strongly associated with Anglican usage in Britain and the Commonwealth. It also occurs in some Roman Catholic and Episcopal contexts, especially in the United States. In the Church of England, a vicar may lead a parish, whereas elsewhere the title can indicate a priest serving in a subordinate or representative role.