priestcraft

priestcraft noun: the craft of performing the duties of a priest.

Noun

priestcraft (usually uncountable, plural priestcrafts)

(usually) The craft of performing the duties of a priest.
- Holonyms: priesthood, priestship
- There is philosophercraft as well as priestcraft, both from one source, both of one spirit. In English cities and towns, the minister of religion has been tamed: so many weapons are bared against him when he obtrudes his office in a dictatory manner, that, as a rule, there is no more quiet and...1863, Augustus De Morgan, A Budget of Paradoxes
(derogatory, usually) Priestly policy directed towards worldly ends.
- In pious times, ere priestcraft did begin, before polygamy was made a sin1681, John Dryden, Absalom and Achitophel
- He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.1831, The Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 26:29

புரோகிதம்

There is philosophercraft as well as priestcraft, both from one source, both of one spirit.1863, Augustus De Morgan, A Budget of Paradoxes:
Whilst caring for a congregation is fundamental, it is a long way from being the only tool in the priestcraft toolbox.2016 May 2, Kelvin Holdsworth, “The Seven Actual Marks of Mission”, in Thurible.net, archived from the original on 30 Apr 2025:
Perhaps thou wert a priest,--if so, my struggles / Are vain, for priestcraft never owns its juggles.1891, Horace (Horatio) Smith, Address to a Mummy

plural	priestcrafts

From Middle English priestcraft; equivalent to priest + -craft.

What does priestcraft mean?: Priestcraft means the craft of performing the duties of a priest.
What is priestcraft in Tamil?: Priestcraft in Tamil is புரோகிதம். See Priestcraft meaning in Tamil.
How do you use priestcraft in a sentence?: There is philosophercraft as well as priestcraft, both from one source, both of one spirit.
What part of speech is priestcraft?: Priestcraft is a noun.
What is the plural of priestcraft?: The plural of priestcraft is priestcrafts.

Adapted from Wiktionary: priestcraft (page history and authors); priestcraft (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this entry: “priestcraft.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/priestcraft. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.