King James Bible Dictionary

REV'EREND, adjective [Latin reverendus.]

1. Worthy of reverence; entitled to respect mingled with fear and affection; as reverend and gracious senators.

A reverend sire among them came.

[This epithet is, I believe, never applied to the Supreme Being, or to his laws or institutions. In lieu of it we use venerable.]

2. A title of respect given to the clergy or ecclesiastics. We style a clergyman reverend; a bishop is styled right reverend; an archbishop most reverend The religious in catholic countries, are styled reverend fathers; abbesses, prioresses, etc. reverend mothers. In Scotland, as in the United States, the clergy are individually styled reverend A synod is styled very reverend and the general assembly venerable.