Prelate
（重定向自Prelaty）
![A cardinal and three bishops in Belgium](/Images/godic/202502/04/Belgische_Bisschoppen5336.jpg")
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.