noun
monsignor
mon-SEE-nyuh
noun
1
An honorary title given by the Pope to certain senior Roman Catholic priests.
"Monsignor Reilly has served the parish for thirty years."
How to Use Monsignor
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA respectful Catholic Church title given to certain distinguished priests.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
monsignors plural, monsignori plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “monsignor”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ Reilly has served the parish for thirty years.
Etymology
From Italian monsignore, shaped by influence from the French monseigneur — a doublet of "monsieur" and "monseigneur."