‘‘The font was used to baptise Dr Kathleen Lynn; her father was the Anglican rector of the parish in 1874,’ pointed out a local.’ n. Abbr. « Return to listing. Define rector. A rector, according to canon 556, is a priest who is entrusted with the care of some church that is neither (a) a parish nor (b) a church with a chapter of canons. Newer dioceses in particular don’t tend to have chapters of canons in their cathedrals; instead, their cathedrals are ordinarily administered by a cleric known as a rector. 2. Rector (noun) (in other Anglican Churches) a member of the clergy who has charge of a parish. A cleric in charge of a parish in the Episcopal Church. See also vicar. Rector (noun) (in the Roman Catholic Church) a priest in charge of a church or of a religious institution. Rector (noun) rector synonyms, rector pronunciation, rector translation, English dictionary definition of rector. Rector. Historically, in parishes in which the great tithes were payable to the incumbent, the incumbent was termed the rector of the parish. Rector (noun) (in the Church of England) the incumbent of a parish where all tithes formerly passed to the incumbent. R. 1. (in other Anglican Churches) a member of the clergy who has charge of a parish. In Anglican churches, a rector is a type of parish priest.