vicar

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: vic=ar

CIDE DICTIONARY

vicar, n. [OE. vicar, viker, vicair, F. vicaire, fr. L. vicarius. See Vicarious.].

•  One deputed or authorized to perform the functions of another; a substitute in office; a deputy.  [1913 Webster]
•  The incumbent of an appropriated benefice.  [1913 Webster]

  " The distinction between a parson [or rector] and vicar is this: The parson has, for the most part, the whole right to the ecclesiastical dues in his parish; but a vicar has generally an appropriator over him, entitled to the best part of the profits, to whom he is in fact perpetual curate with a standing salary. Burrill. "  Burrill.  [1913 Webster]

Apostolic vicar, or Vicar apostolic. (R. C. Ch.) (a) A bishop to whom the Roman pontiff delegates a portion of his jurisdiction. (b) Any ecclesiastic acting under a papal brief, commissioned to exercise episcopal authority. (c) A titular bishop in a country where there is no episcopal see, or where the succession has been interrupted. -- Vicar forane. [Cf. LL. foraneus situated outside of the episcopal city, rural. See Vicar, and Foreign.] (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. Addis & Arnold. -- Vicar-general. (a) (Ch. of Eng.) The deputy of the Archbishop of Canterbury or York, in whose court the bishops of the province are confirmed. Encyc. Brit. (b) (R. C. Ch.) An assistant to a bishop in the discharge of his official functions. -- Vicar of Jesus Christ (R. C. Ch.), the pope as representing Christ on earth.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

vicar, n.
1 a (in the Church of England) an incumbent of a parish where tithes formerly passed to a chapter or religious house or layman (cf. RECTOR). b (in an Episcopal Church) a member of the clergy deputizing for another.
2 RC Ch. a representative or deputy of a bishop.
3 (in full lay vicar or vicar choral) a cleric or choir member appointed to sing certain parts of a cathedral service.

Idiom

vicar apostolic RC Ch. a Roman Catholic missionary or titular bishop. vicar-general (pl. vicars-general)
1 an Anglican official assisting or representing a bishop esp. in administrative matters.
2 RC Ch. a bishop's assistant in matters of jurisdiction etc. Vicar of Christ the Pope.

Derivative

vicariate n. vicarship n.

Etymology

ME f. AF viker(e), OF vicaire f. L vicarius substitute f. vicis: see VICE(3)

THESAURUS

vicar

Grand Penitentiary, Holy Father, abuna, advocate, agent, alter ego, alternate, alternative, amicus curiae, analogy, antipope, archbishop, archdeacon, archpriest, attorney, backup, backup man, bishop, bishop coadjutor, canon, cardinal, cardinal bishop, cardinal deacon, cardinal priest, champion, change, changeling, chaplain, coadjutor, comparison, copy, counterfeit, curate, dean, deputy, diocesan, double, dummy, ecclesiarch, equal, equivalent, ersatz, exarch, exchange, executive officer, exponent, fake, figurehead, fill-in, ghost, ghostwriter, hierarch, high priest, imitation, lieutenant, locum, locum tenens, makeshift, metaphor, metonymy, metropolitan, next best thing, papa, paranymph, patriarch, penitentiary, personnel, phony, pinch hitter, pleader, pontiff, pope, prebendary, prelate, primate, procurator, proxy, rector, relief, replacement, representative, reserves, ringer, rural dean, second in command, second string, secondary, sign, spares, stand-in, sub, subdean, substituent, substitute, substitution, succedaneum, suffragan, superseder, supplanter, surrogate, symbol, synecdoche, third string, token, understudy, utility man, utility player, vicar general, vice, vice-president, vice-regent, vicegerent

ROGET THESAURUS

vicar

Director

N director, manager, governor, rector, comptroller, superintendent, supervisor, straw boss, intendant, overseer, overlooker, supercargo, husband, inspector, visitor, ranger, surveyor, aedile, moderator, monitor, taskmaster, master, leader, ringleader, demagogue, corypheus, conductor, fugleman, precentor, bellwether, agitator, caporal, choregus, collector, file leader, flugelman, linkboy, guiding star, adviser, guide, pilot, helmsman, steersman, steermate, wire-puller, driver, whip, Jehu, charioteer, coachman, carman, cabman, postilion, vetturino, muleteer, arriero, teamster, whipper in, head, head man, head center, boss, principal, president, speaker, chair, chairman, chairwoman, chairperson, captain, superior, mayor, vice president, prime minister, premier, vizier, grand vizier, eparch, officer, functionary, minister, official, red-tapist, bureaucrat, man in office, Jack in office, office bearer, person in authority, statesman, strategist, legislator, lawgiver, politician, statist, statemonger, Minos, Draco, arbiter, boss, political dictator, board, secretary, secretary of state, Reis Effendi, vicar, steward, factor, agent, bailiff, middleman, foreman, clerk of works, landreeve, factotum, major-domo, seneschal, housekeeper, shepherd, croupier, proctor, procurator, ex officio.

Deputy

N deputy, substitute, vice, proxy, locum tenens, badli, delegate, representative, next friend, surrogate, secondary, regent, viceregent, vizier, minister, vicar, premier, chancellor, prefect, provost, warden, lieutenant, archon, consul, proconsul, viceroy, commissioner, Tsung-li Yamen, Wai Wu Pu, plenipotentiary, alter ego, team, eight, eleven, champion, acting, vice, vice regal, accredited to, in behalf of.

Clergy

N 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, 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, verger, beadle, sexton, sacristan, acolyth, acolothyst, acolyte, altar boy, chorister, 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, Carthusian, Benedictine, Cistercian, Trappist, Cluniac, Premonstatensian, Maturine, Templar, Hospitaler, Bernardine, Lorettine, pillarist, stylite, abbess, prioress, canoness, religieuse, nun, novice, postulant, prophet, priest, high priest, Levite, Rabbi, Rabbin, Rebbe, scribe, 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, the Reverend, the very Reverend, the Right Reverend, ordained, in orders, called to the ministry.