rector

Everyday

1. (church) A rector is a priest in charge of a parish in the Church of England, the Episcopal Church or the Catholic Church. tree →
2. (school) In some schools, colleges and universities, especially in Scotland and some other countries, the rector is the head. tree →
3. The house a rector lives in is the rectory. tree →

In the lessons

In church life and stories set in English villages, the rector leads services, visits the sick and runs the parish. In RE, pupils learn different names for church leaders: vicar, rector, priest, minister, pastor. Phrases: «the parish rector», «the rectory», «the Rector of the university».

Examples

• The rector welcomed everyone at the church door. tree →
• The rector visited Grandma in hospital. tree →
• We had the fête in the rectory garden. tree →
• The new rector is a woman who loves gardening. tree →
• In Scotland, the rector of the school gave out the prizes. tree →
• The rector read the banns for the wedding. tree →

Note

Countable. Related: «rectory» (his or her house). Rector, vicar and minister are similar jobs with different names in different churches. A rector can be a man or a woman in many Anglican churches.