pastorate

/ˈpa-st(ə-)rət/ (ame, mw)

pastorate — noun

1. the job of being a pastor, including the church or people under that pastor's ca

1.名詞C2
釋義

the job of being a pastor, including the church or people under that pastor's care and the time spent serving in the role

例句

During her pastorate, Defne started a free meal program at the church.

during + pastorate for a period in office

The church grew quickly in Owen's pastorate after families moved into town.

someone's pastorate for one leader's term

同義詞
  • pastorship

    very close in meaning, but even less common in modern use

  • ministry

    broader, because it can mean the work of serving the church rather than one office or term

  • incumbency

    formal and wider in scope, used for many kinds of office, not only church roles

文法句型

during + pastorate

end a pastorate

someone's pastorate

用法筆記

Usually singular and formal. It often points to a pastor's period of service in one church, but it can also include the area or people under that pastor's care.

常見錯誤

❌She was in pastorate for ten years.
✅She served in the pastorate for ten years.
💡this noun usually needs the article when you mean the office in general.

2. all the pastors in a church area or tradition when they are considered together

2.名詞C2
釋義

all the pastors in a church area or tradition when they are considered together as one group

例句

The local pastorate met on Friday to plan a joint youth camp.

the pastorate + singular verb

After the storm, the pastorate asked each church to open its hall.

同義詞
  • clergy

    broader, because it can include priests and other religious officials besides pastors

  • ministry

    can mean the body of ministers, but it often also means church work in general

  • church leadership

    more everyday and broader, because it can include lay leaders as well

反義詞
  • laity

    ordinary church members who are not part of the clergy

文法句型

the pastorate + singular verb

local pastorate

write to the pastorate

用法筆記

A formal collective noun, mostly seen in church writing or public statements. It names pastors as one body rather than pointing to individual ministers.

常見錯誤

❌The pastorate are meeting tonight.
✅The pastorate is meeting tonight.
💡this collective noun is usually treated as singular in standard modern English.