Other forms: vicars
A vicar is the priest in charge of a parish in the Church of England. The one who takes the services and buries the dead.
The distinction from a rector is historical and concerns who received the tithes, and almost nobody outside the church knows or cares about it now. The vicarage is the house that goes with the job. British comedy has used the character for a century, from tea on the lawn to the vicar at the door. The Catholic equivalent is simply a priest, and other churches say minister or pastor.
1nounvicarA Church of England priest in charge of a parish.
“The vicar came round to discuss the arrangements.”
Latin
vicārius — vicarious, substitute
Old French
vicaire — deputy, second in command
Anglo-Norman
fro
Middle English
vicar
English, today
vicar
From Middle English vicar, viker, vikyr, vicaire, vicare, a borrowing from Anglo-Norman fro, vicare, vikaire, vikere and Old French vicaire (“deputy, second in command”), from Latin vicārius (“vicarious, substitute”). a doublet of vicarious. Displaced native Old English ġespelia.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA