Subprior

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who is subordinate to a prior within a monastic community
2. someone who assists in the management and administration of a religious order
3. an individual holding a junior leadership role under the authority of a superior monk or sister

Etymology: The word "subprior" is a plain compound: the Latin prefix "sub-", meaning "under" or "below", attached to "prior", the head of a monastic house ranking just beneath an abbot or, in some orders, the chief officer of a priory. Put together, it names the official who stands directly beneath the prior and takes his place when he is absent or incapacitated. The French "sous-prieur" follows exactly the same pattern, with "sous-" serving the same function as "sub-". The English word is therefore a direct piece-by-piece construction, and its meaning is transparent from its parts: a subprior is literally someone under the prior.