 The Latin "presbyter" ultimately represents Greek "presbúteros", the regular Latin word for "priest" being "sacerdos", corresponding to "hiereús".It is possible that the Latin word was loaned into Old English, and only from Old English reached other Germanic languages via the Anglo-Saxon mission to the continent, giving Old Icelandic "prestr", Old Swedish "präster", Old High German "priast".Old High German also has the disyllabic "priester, priestar", apparently derived from Latin independently via Old French "presbtre".