Definitions

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

  • noun An Anglican parish priest in a parish where historically someone other than the priest was entitled to the tithes.
  • noun A cleric in charge of a chapel in the Episcopal Church of the United States.
  • noun An Anglican or Roman Catholic cleric who acts for or represents another, often higher-ranking member of the clergy.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A person deputed or authorized to perform the functions of another; a substitute in office: as, the Pope claims to be vicar of Jesus Christ on earth.
  • noun In English ecclesiastical law, the priest of a parish the tithes of which belong to a chapter or religious house, or to a layman, and who receives only the smaller tithes or a salary.
  • noun In the Roman Catholic Church, an ecclesiastic assisting a bishop and exercising jurisdiction in his name.

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

  • noun rare One deputed or authorized to perform the functions of another; a substitute in office; a deputy.
  • noun (Eng. Eccl. Law) The incumbent of an appropriated benefice.
  • noun (R. C. Ch.) A titular bishop in a country where there is no episcopal see, or where the succession has been interrupted.
  • noun (R. C. Ch.) A dignitary or parish priest appointed by a bishop to exercise a limited jurisdiction in a particular town or district of a diocese.
  • noun (Ch. of Eng.), (R. C. Ch.) An assistant to a bishop in the discharge of his official functions.
  • noun (R. C. Ch.) the pope as representing Christ on earth.

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

  • noun In the Church of England, the priest of a parish, receiving a salary or stipend but not tithes.
  • noun In the Roman Catholic and some other churches, a cleric acting as local representative of a higher ranking member of the clergy.
  • noun A person acting on behalf of, or is representing another person.

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

  • noun (Episcopal Church) a clergyman in charge of a chapel
  • noun (Church of England) a clergyman appointed to act as priest of a parish
  • noun a Roman Catholic priest who acts for another higher-ranking clergyman

Etymologies

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

[Middle English, from Old French vicaire, from Latin vicārius, vicarious, a substitute, from vicis, genitive of *vix, change; see weik- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin vicārius "vicarious, substitute"

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Examples

Comments

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  • Hilary went to the Catholic Church because she wanted information

    The vicar, or whatever, took her to one side and gave her confirmation

    Saint Theresa's calling her, the church up on the hill is looking lovely

    But it doesn't interest, the only things she wants to know is how and why and when and where to go

    How and why and when and where to follow.

    (If you're feeling sinister, by Belle and Sebastian)

    September 10, 2008