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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Prior, Priour, n.¹ Also: priore, pryor(e; prioure, -owr(e, pryour(e; prieur, preor, prayor. [ME and e.m.E. prior (c 1290), priour (c 1330), prier (c 1475), pryour (1533), OE prior, L. prior adj. former, superior, in med. L. as noun = the chief officer of a society, esp. a prior, OF priur (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), priour (mod. F. prieur ).]

1. A (claustral or conventual) prior of a religious house; also, the head of a religious order.Also attrib. and possess. in minor place-names.Prior of Bonaccord, see Bon-ac(c)ord n.¹ (1).11.. Reg. Dunferm. 9.
[H. priore de Coldingham 11.. Reg. St. A. 126.
Dompno Roberto primo priori ecclesie sancti Andrum 1226 Reg. Episc. Morav. 23. 1230 Acts I 69/1.
Thoma priore de Coldinghame Ib. I 94 (104 red).]
Precipimus et mandamus … Episcopos abbates priores comites et barones ac ceteros … quod compareant coram nobis … in dicto nostro parliamento(1) 1390 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 19.
Gif the prior of the Eland vare … present to the priorie of Coldynghame [etc.] 1469 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 52. 1489–90 Acta Aud. 142/1.
Johne prior of the metropolitane kirk of Sanctandres 1497 Acta Conc. II 87.
The prior of Restinot 1509–10 Breadalbane Coll. MS No. 37.
Ws Wylȝame prior of the Charterhous 1516 Reg. Privy S. I 426/1.
Alexander Ravin … tuke away thiftuislie twa hors fra the prior and place of Tullylum 1539–41 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 291.
To ane cheplane to pas to Lorne the prior Straphillane … for [etc.] 1541 Exch. R. XVII 648. 1545 Blackfriars Perth 171.
Prior of the freris predicatouris off the burght off Pertht 1558 Melrose Reg. Rec. III 161/12. 1596 Dalr. II 450/32.
The prior of S. Androis, the quene her by-gotten brother 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 237. a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 225.
Usit be the bishop as prior of Whythorne 1633 Acts V 72/1.
Quhereof the bishopes of the said bishoprick pryors of the said pryorie [Quhithorne] and abbattes of the saids abbacies wer in possessioun [etc.](b) 1388 Bamff Chart. 22.
The prioure of Restynet, Dene Jon Marsyale 1407 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 65.
Johnne of Aklif, priour of the howse of Coldynghame 1433 Swintons App. xxxiii. 1434–5 Reg. St. A. 424.
Payand ȝherly to the said reuerende fadyr priour and his couent … sevin markis 1454 Glasgow Chart. I ii 43. c1475 Wall. vii 471.
A frer Drumlay, was priour than off Ayr Ib. viii 1171. 1504 Treas. Acc. II 454. 1516–17 Reg. Privy S. I 447/1. 1531–2 Ib. II 150/2. 1534 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 489.
We Dene Dauid Farlie priour of the monastre and abbacy of Monimusk … reuokis … all … documentis … subscriuit be [etc.] 1534 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 428.
Anent the assedatioune maid be the priour of Coldinghame to the abbot 1554 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 779.
And thairfoir ordanis the said priour [sc. of Monimusk Abbey] lettres to haif effect c 1550–60 Black Friars Edinb. 75. 1559 Liber Melros II 648. 1558-66 Knox II 379. 1576 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 27.
Dene James Huttoun priour sumtyme of Dundranane 1595 Exch. R. XXIII 51.(c) 1389 Wemyss Chart. 24.
The byschop of Saynt Androus and the pryoure of that ilke place 1442 Raine N. Durham App. 21. 1569 Reg. Privy C. I 677.
Walter Abbott of Kinloss … Pryour or Yconomus of Pluscardin 1576 Ib. II 542.
That the saidis commendatare and pryour mak new securitie to them, be rentall or utherwayis 1562-92 Wode's Psalter (ed.) 3.
My Lord Jamis … being at the reformation pryour of Sanctandrous a1578 Pitsc. II 146/12. 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I 238.
With the band grantit be the pryour for ane tak of the teindis c 1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 576.
The pryour desyred no more but the fishing of a ridge lenth in Spey(d) 1540 Elgin Rec. I 50.
As annell clemit be the preor and conuent of the freris predicatoris of Elgin 1659 Blairs P. 88.
Prayor(2) a1578 Pitsc. I 286/19.
Pryor Johnne Hepburne was … wicar generall of the bischoperick of Sanctandrois(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 614.
Hou til a prioure that it befel Of Sancte Crucis kyrk but dout That than as now wes vndirlout To the abbay of Cheryte c 1390 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 21.
It ys reson that he mak obedience tyll hys byschap in maner as other priours doys c1420 Wynt. i Prol. 90.
I wes, but meryt, made Priowre Off the Ynche 14.. Acts I 23/2.
The kyngis borowman may hafe batayle of abbotis borowmen and of pryouris and of erlys borowmen and barounis c1450-2 Howlat 688. Ib. 183. a1500 Sir Eger 2521.
Then to the prieur of the town, A worthy man of great renown 1489–90 Acts II 220/2.
Chosin to be of the kingis secrett consale twa bischopis, ane abbot or a prior 1528 Lynd. Dreme 177. 1540 Id. Sat. 3398 (Ch.).
Abbot: … My prior is ane man of great devotioun c1552 Id. Mon. 4291.
Abbottis and priouris, as ȝe ken, Misrewlaris of relegious men 1558–9 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I lxii.
Letteris monitoris upon … abbotis and prioris, to cause preching to be maid within thair kirkis 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 171/28.
Sic prowd pultrouns to be oure priowris 1570 Leslie 40. a1578 Pitsc. I 200/25.
The Homes ever intendit to haue ane pryour in that roume of thair awin surname Ib. II 282/14.
Pryore 1640 Acts V 260/1.
All former laws … mad in favouris of … beshopis archbeshopis abbotis pryoris or other prelatis(4) 1498 Acta Conc. II 177.
To the … ordinance of the lord prior of Sanctandros 1499 Halyb. 230.
Paid for hym to my lord prior in cryit mony, 5 li. 1551 Acts II 488/1.
That na … abbot lord priour nor deine haue at his meis bot [etc.](5) 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 123.
It is to wyt that abbotis & priouris of chanonnys regular … ar resavyt in the court for outyn letteres of thar conuent, other priouris outher off chanonnys or of monkis gif thai be salleraris withoutyn letteres of thar abbot or of thar gret priour ar admittit in court. Alsua the master of the Tempil & the chef priour of Irusaleme be thaim self ar resavyt 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 655.
I am, said he, one channoun regulare And of my brether pryour principall 1559 St. A. Kirk S. 16.
Followes the rectantatioun of Freire Gresone, priour provintiall generall of all the freris predicatouris in Scotland 1561 Cal. Sc. P. I 582.
Your gentle ansuear unto that my wrytting sent by my lord grand prieuris servand … I laitly receaved(6) attrib. 1441 Coldingham Priory cxxxiii 117.
Thatt na monke of seynt Benett ordour … suld be promote to priore dignite or office(7) place-names c 1609 Inchaffray Chart. App. 171.
The haill yairdis and orchardis of the said abbacie of Incheffray and medowis thairof wiz … .the tua Inschenaillis and Pryouris meidow 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 94.
The aikers about the town of St. Andrews, called the pryor aikers

b. Prior kirk, a priory church, a church in charge of a prior, either claustral or conventual. 1481 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 330.
On a dai in the Prior kyrke of Fywy on the he altar of the samyn 1627 Rep. Parishes 180.
Strafillan is ane pryour kirk

2. The title of the head or supervisor of the Hospital of Kingcase, Kyle Stewart, Ayrshire. 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 347.
[His majesty's] pure bedemen the prior and convent of the lipper folkis of the Hospitale of Kincais 1538–9 Reg. Privy S. II 427/1.
Super carta feodifirme sibi facta per Arthurum Wallace, priorem hospitalis Sancti Niniani de Kinkais et conventum ejusdem 1633 Rep. Maxwell-Stuart Mun. 30.
[King Robert Bruce had erected the] said hospital for … susteanance of aucht pure leprous persounes, togidder withe ane pryour and ane kirk thair to be susteaneit

3. Prior of vacance, in St. Andrews University, ? a person (? a member of the academic staff) appointed to administer the University during the annual summer vacation. 1574 Comm. Univ. III (St. A.) App. 188.
That the Conventioun for chesing of the Priour of vacance this ȝeir, sall begin, and in tyme cuming be haldin ȝeirlie, upoun the first day of July