‖ coarb Celtic Church.
(ˈkəʊɑːb)
[a. Irish comharba.]
Successor in an ecclesiastical office, abbot, vicar; an order of old Irish monks (O'Reilly).
| 1656 J. Chaloner in D. King Vale Royall iv. 21 All such goods also, as by the Law should have fallen to the next Heir, as Coarbes, the Coroner is to have them [on death of a Felon]. 1865 M{supc}Lauchlan Early Sc. Church xxi. 324 The coarb or successor of Columba was usually an ecclesiastic of the Irish church. 1878 Mackintosh Civiliz. Scotl. I. Introd. 126 In the early Irish church some of the Coarbs were women. 1882–3 A. F. Mitchell in Schaff Encycl. Relig. Knowl. II. 1234 The mother-house of Iona and its presbyter abbot, the coarb of Columba. |
Hence coarb-ship.
| 1827 G. Higgins Celtic Druids 205 The Coarb-ship descended to their children. |