Very Reverend
1
8.1
- noun
- /ˈvɜri ˈrɛvərənd/
- Formal
:
Muy Reverendo
- By Rabbi Jack Bemporad, Center for Interreligious Understanding, N.J., with co-authors: The Very Reverend Dr. James A. Kowalski, Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, New York City; Pro ...
- Very Reverend John Felice
- Very Reverend John
- Very Reverend Jones
Examples
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The Very Reverend John Bliss fell off his horse while taking exercise in the park.
-
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge.
Blog text (34) -
According to its national president, the Very Reverend Michael Ripple, it "leaped into flames" in 1921, and rallies became commonplace.
Academic text (1991) -
Presiding over it is the Very Reverend Gary Hall, an Episcopal priest and the cathedral's dean.
-
The service will be conducted by the Very Reverend Wesley Carr, who is the dean of Westminster.
Synonyms
467
3.7
A title used before the name of a Christian church leader
How Senior
Surface Forms
Morphology
Although the constituents 'very' (an intensifier) and 'reverend' (a clerical title) are transparent individually and suggest heightened respect, the combined form is a conventionalized honorific used as a formal title in specific church contexts rather than a literal intensification. A B1 learner might infer it's a more respectful form of 'Reverend' but would not reliably know its fixed, institutional usage and capitalization conventions without exposure.
Etymology
Very Reverend comes from adding Very to Reverend to show extra respect for certain church leaders, so the words together give a stronger title. That's why it is used today as an official way to name some 'senior' or 'highly respected' clergy.