PARSON Par"son, n. Etym: [OE. persone person, parson, OF. persone, F. personne person, LL. persona (sc. ecclesiae), fr. L. persona a person. See Person.]
1. (Eng. Eccl. Law)
Defn: 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. Longfellow. Parson bird (Zoöl.), a New Zealand bird (Prosthemadera Novæseelandiæ) remarkable for its powers of mimicry and its ability to articulate words. Its color 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.
PARSONAGE
Par"son*age, n.
1. (Eng. Eccl. Law)
Defn: A certain portion of lands, tithes, and offerings, for the maintenance of the parson of a parish.
2. The glebe and house, or the house only, owned by a parish or ecclesiastical society, and appropriated to the maintenance or use of the incumbent or settled pastor.
3. Money paid for the support of a parson. [Scot.] What have I been paying stipend and teind, parsonage and vicarage, for Sir W. Scott.
PARSONED
Par"soned, a.