English · Word Candidate

pastor

/ˈpɑː.stə/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: pastors · pastoring · pastored

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Someone with spiritual authority over a group of people. — A minister or priest in a church.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Someone with spiritual authority over a group of people. — The main priest serving a parish.

NounRegister: US

Examples

The pastor told CNN on Tuesday that no members of his megachurch have contracted the virus. MacArthur also said he doubted the accuracy of California’s coronavirus numbers. […] Most of the pastors who have bucked the rules are fringe figures in American Christianity.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To serve a congregation as pastor

Verb

Examples

As they pastored churches in Georgia and Texas, they supported talented black politicians who were unable to win statewide office.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “pastor” mean?

Someone with spiritual authority over a group of people. — A minister or priest in a church.

Is “pastor” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.