parisshen

Middle English

Alternative forms

• paroschien, paroschian, parochian, parochien, parissen, parischien, parisschen, parisshyn, parischen, parshen, parichin, paroschen, paryschun, parysshen, paresschen, paresschen, parechen, parisshon, pariȝschen, parishen, perysshon, paroisshien

Etymology

From Old French paroissien, parochien; equivalent to parisshe +‎ -ien.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /paˈriʃ(i)ən/, /paˈris(i)ən/, /paˈrɔtʃ(i)ən/, /ˈpariʃ(i)ən/, /ˈparis(i)ən/, /ˈparɔtʃ(i)ən/

Noun

parisshen (plural parisshens)

1. A parishioner; a member of a parish.
   • 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 8, recto, lines 482-484:

     his pariſſhens / deuoutly wolde he teche / Benygne he was / and wonder diligent / And in aduerſitee / ful pacient […]

     He would devoutly teach his parishioners; / he was gentle, truly diligent, / and so patient in adversity […]

2. (Late Middle English) A parish (ecclesiastical administrative division).
3. (rare, Late Middle English) The totality of a parish's parishioners.

References

• “parishen, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-06-17.
• “parishen, n.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-06-17.