churchman

See also: Churchman

English

From church +‎ man. Compare kirkman and German Kirchmann.

churchman (plural churchmen)

(obsolete) A churchwarden. [15th–16th c.]
A person (originally a man) of authority in a Christian religious organization (a church). [from 16th c.]
Hypernym: cleric

The bishop, a highly placed churchman, stated the religion's opinion.
A member or adherent of an established church, especially the Church of England. [from 17th c.]
- 1789, Olaudah Equiano, chapter 10, in The Interesting Narrative, volume I:
  I replied, ‘I attended St. James's, St. Martin's, and St. Ann's, Soho;’—‘So,’ said he, ‘you are a churchman.’
- 1791, Joseph Priestley, Letters to Burke, section V:
  Thus they say the king of Great Britain, must maintain episcopacy in England, and presbyterianism in Scotland, whether he be a presbyterian as king William, a Lutheran as George I. or a true churchman as his present Majesty.
- 1914, S. G. Tallentyre [Evelyn Beatrice Hall], “VIII. Realisation”, in Matthew Hargraves, London: G. P. Putnam's Sons, page 155:
  It was a brave sight on a Sunday morning to see those old Tottenhamites—each with his comfortable lady-wife on his arm—proceeding in their stiff Sunday best to the morning service; pitying the Quaker friends they met on their way for their incomplete and unenlightened faith—the Quakers, of course, pitying the Churchmen for theirs.

a person of authority in a religious organization; a cleric