A parson is a Protestant Christian minister or clergyman, especially one who leads a church in a small town or rural area. The word comes from an old way of saying “person,” because in medieval England, the parson was often the most educated person in the village besides the local lord.

In classic children's books set in England or early America, you'll often meet the village parson: an educated, respectable figure who conducts Sunday services, performs weddings and funerals, and provides guidance to families in the community. The parson typically lived in a parsonage, a house provided by the church, often next to the building where services were held.

While people today more commonly use words like “minister,” “pastor,” or “reverend,” you'll still encounter parson in historical fiction and older literature. The term carries a warm, old-fashioned feeling, evoking a time when small communities gathered around a single church and the parson knew everyone by name.