A person who holds a high position in a hierarchy.

Roget 995: church, churchdom; ministry, apostleship^†, priesthood, prelacy, hierarch^†, church government, christendom, pale of the church.    clericalism, sacerdotalism^†, episcopalianism, ultramontanism^†; theocracy; ecclesiology^†, ecclesiologist^†; priestcraft^†, odium theologicum [Lat.].    monachism^†, monachy^†; monasticism, monkhood^†.    [Ecclesiastical offices and dignities] pontificate, primacy, archbishopric^†, archiepiscopacy^†; prelacy; bishopric, bishopdom^†; episcopate, episcopacy; see, diocese; deanery, stall; canonry, canonicate^†; prebend, prebendaryship^†; benefice, incumbency, glebe, advowson^†, living, cure; rectorship^†; vicariate, vicarship; deaconry^†, deaconship^†; curacy; chaplain, chaplaincy, chaplainship; cardinalate, cardinalship^†; abbacy, presbytery.    holy orders, ordination, institution, consecration, induction, reading in, preferment, translation, presentation.    popedom^†; the Vatican, the apostolic see; religious sects etc. 984.    council etc. 696; conclave, convocation, synod, consistory, chapter, vestry; sanhedrim, conge d'elire [Fr.]; ecclesiastical courts, consistorial court, court of Arches.    ... show more

A senior clergyman and dignitary.

synonyms: archpriest, high priest, prelate, primate.

Roget 996: clergy, clericals, ministry, priesthood, presbytery, the cloth, the desk.    clergyman, divine, ecclesiastic, churchman, priest, presbyter, hierophant^†, pastor, shepherd, minister; father, father in Christ; padre, abbe, cure; patriarch; reverend; black coat; confessor.    dignitaries of the church; ecclesiarch^†, hierarch^†; ebdomarius [Lat.]; eminence, reverence, elder, primate, metropolitan, archbishop, bishop, prelate, diocesan, suffragan^†, dean, subdean^†, archdeacon, prebendary, canon, rural dean, rector, parson, vicar, perpetual curate, residentiary^†, beneficiary, incumbent, chaplain, curate; deacon, deaconess; preacher, reader, lecturer; capitular^†; missionary, propagandist, Jesuit, revivalist, field preacher.    churchwarden, sidesman^†; clerk, precentor^†, choir; almoner, suisse [Fr.], verger, beadle, sexton, sacristan; acolyth^†, acolothyst^†, acolyte, altar boy; chorister.    [Roman Catholic priesthood] Pope, Papa, pontiff, high priest, cardinal; ancient flamen^†, flamen^†; confessor, penitentiary; spiritual director.    cenobite, conventual, abbot, prior, monk, friar, lay brother, beadsman^†, mendicant, pilgrim, palmer; canon regular, canon secular; Franciscan, Friars minor, Minorites; Observant, Capuchin, Dominican, Carmelite; Augustinian^†; Gilbertine; Austin Friars^†, Black Friars, White Friars, Gray Friars, Crossed Friars, Crutched Friars; Bonhomme [Fr.], Carthusian, Benedictine^†, Cistercian, Trappist, Cluniac, Premonstatensian, Maturine; Templar, Hospitaler; Bernardine^†, Lorettine, pillarist^†, stylite^†.    abbess, prioress, canoness^†; religieuse [Fr.], nun, novice, postulant.    [Under the Jewish dispensation] prophet, priest, high priest, Levite; Rabbi, Rabbin, Rebbe; scribe.    [Mohammedan etc.] mullah, muezzin, ayatollah; ulema, imaum^†, imam, sheik; sufi; kahin^†, kassis^†; mufti, hadji, dervish; fakir, faquir^†; brahmin^†, guru, kaziaskier^†, poonghie^†, sanyasi^†; druid, bonze^†, santon^†, abdal^†, Lama, talapoin^†, caloyer^†.    ... show more

Dutch: hogepriester, kerkvorst, opperpriester, prelaat, primaat
Polish: arcykapłan