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parson

1. A person who represents a parish in its ecclesiastical and corporate capacities; hence, the rector or incumbent of a parochial church, who has full possession of all the rights thereof, with the cure of souls.

2. Any clergyman having ecclesiastical preferment; one who is in orders, or is licensed to preach; a preacher. He hears the parson pray and preach.

(Science: zoology) (Longfellow) Parson bird, a new Zealand bird (Prosthemadera Novaeseelandiae) remarkable for its powers of mimicry and its ability to articulate words. Its colour is glossy black, with a curious tuft of long, curly, white feathers on each side of the throat. It is often kept as a cage bird.

Origin: OE. Persone person, parson, OF. Persone, F. Personne person, LL. Persona (sc. Ecclesiae), fr. L. Persona a person. See Person.