Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A cleric.
  • noun A schoolmaster.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A schoolmaster; a pedagogue.
  • noun In some parts of the United States, a clergyman; a parson; especially, a settled minister or pastor: a title used specifically in the (Dutch) Reformed Church, and colloquially in other churches, particularly in New York and New Jersey.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Scot. A schoolmaster; a pedagogue.
  • noun Scot. & Colloq. U. S. A clergyman. See Domine, 1.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A schoolmaster, teacher.
  • noun US A pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a clergyman; especially a settled minister or parson

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Obsolete domine, clergyman, from Latin, vocative of dominus, lord; see dem- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Alteration of domine, with spelling changed to reflect pronunciation.

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Examples

  • The dominie was a poor creature, whose necessities compelled him to abide in our neighborhood, though his moral sense was greatly shocked at the crimes which were often perpetrated around him.

    Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, July, 1851 Various

  • When the dominie was a younger man he had first clashed with the minister during Mr. Rattray's attempts to do away with some old customs that were already dying by inches.

    Auld Licht Idylls 1898

  • When the dominie was a younger man he had first clashed with the minister during Mr. Rattray's attempts to do away with some old customs that were already dying by inches.

    Auld Licht Idyls 1898

  • The dominie was a wizened-looking little man, with sharp eyes that pierced you when they thought they were unobserved, and if any visitor drew near who might be a member of the Board, he disappeared into his house much as a startled weasel makes for its hole.

    Auld Licht Idylls 1898

  • The dominie was a wizened-looking little man, with sharp eyes that pierced you when they thought they were unobserved, and if any visitor drew near who might be a member of the board, he disappeared into his house much as a startled weasel makes for its hole.

    Auld Licht Idyls 1898

  • The dominie was a rare visitor at the club after that, though he outlived poor Mr. Dickie by many years.

    Auld Licht Idylls 1898

  • The dominie was the master of the sports, assisted by the neighboring farmers, some of whom might be elders of the church.

    Auld Licht Idyls 1898

  • The dominie was the master of the sports, assisted by the neighbouring farmers, some of whom might be elders of the church.

    Auld Licht Idylls 1898

  • The dominie was a rare visitor at the club after that, though he outlived poor

    Auld Licht Idyls 1898

  • I refused to taste the brimming glass, even when the pastor of the household, a genial "dominie," rallied me upon my abstinence.

    The Secret of a Happy Home (1896) Marion Harland 1876

Comments

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  • Scots - a headmaster or clergyman.

    December 5, 2007