[a. OF. subprieur (14th c.), med.L. subprior, var. of supprior SUPPRIOR: see SUB- 6 and PRIOR sb. Cf. ME. sousprior s.v. SOUS-, and mod.F. sousprieur (from 13th c.).] A prior’s assistant and deputy.
1340. Ayenb., 67. Þe abbottes and þe priours and hire officials ase subprior and þe oþre.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 482/1. Subpriowre, subprior.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 24 § 8. Subpriour of the said hospital of sainte John of Jerusalem.
1641. Prynne, Antipathie, 33. Hubert being dead the Monkes of Canterbury … elected Reginald their Sub-prior, for his Successour.
1767. Burn, Eccles. Law (ed. 2), IV. 456. In every priory, next under the prior was the sub-prior, who assisted the prior whilst present, and acted in his stead when absent.
1868. Morris, Earthly Par. (1890), 51/1. An old reverend man The sub-prior.
So Subprioress.
c. 1660. in J. Morris, Troubles Cath. Forefathers (1872), Ser. I. vi. 257. For Subprioress she appointed Sister Anne Tremaine.
c. 1789. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., IX. 393. She fulfilled several important offices in the Community such as Subprioress, Mistress of Novices, and Cellerere.
