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presbyteress|ˈprɛs-, ˈprɛzbɪtərɪs|
[ad. med.L. presbyterissa (Ordo Rom. in Du Cange, Duns Scotus Sentent. 4. 25. 2–6); in sense 2 for earlier L. presbytera: see presbyter and -ess.]
†1. The wife of a presbyter or priest. Obs.
1546Bale Eng. Votaries i. (1550) 71 Marianus sayth, she was a presbyteresse or a prestes leman, to saue the honoure of that ordre, bycause he was a monke hys selfe. [1563Foxe A. & M. 21/2 Priestes then in those daies [c 1074] had wiues openly and lawfully..as appeareth by the dedes and writynges of their chapter seales..and were called, by their name, presbyterisse. ]1672–5T. Comber Comp. Temple (1702) 240 So it was in Germany long after, where the Priests Wife had the Title of Presbyteress.
2. A female presbyter; one of an order of women in the early church, having some of the functions of presbyters.
They were either widows, or matrons who had with their husbands' consent left the estate of matrimony, to devote themselves to divine service. (See Du Cange.)
1651Jer. Taylor Clerus Dom. 15 The Presbyteresses who were the..governesses of women, in order to manners and religion. 1682Weekly Mem. Ingen. 342 To enquire into the quality of these Presbyteresses of the primitive church. 1901J. Wordsworth Ministry of Grace v. 271 In these [sc. the ‘Didascalia’ and the ‘Constitutions’] and similar books the elders Widows are sometimes mentioned under the title of πρεσβύτιδες, a name for which we have no nearer equivalent than the somewhat ambiguous and inexact ‘Presbyteresses’... The Virgins, Widows and Presbyteresses have the first place among the women in church. |