\Par"son\, n. [OE. persone person, parson, OF. persone,
F. personne person, LL. persona (sc. ecclesiae), fr. L.
persona a person. See {Person}.]
1. (Eng. Eccl. Law) A person who represents a parish in its
   ecclesiastical and corporate capacities; hence, the rector
   or incumbent of a parochial church, who has full
   possession of all the rights thereof, with the cure of
   souls.
2. Any clergyman having ecclesiastical preferment; one who is
   in orders, or is licensed to preach; a preacher.
         He hears the parson pray and preach.  --Longfellow.
{Parson bird} (Zo["o]l.), a New Zealand bird ({Prosthemadera
   Nov[ae]seelandi[ae]}) remarkable for its powers of mimicry
   and its ability to articulate words. Its color is glossy
   black, with a curious tuft of long, curly, white feathers
   on each side of the throat. It is often kept as a cage
   bird.