noun, plural vic·ars-gen·er·al.
- Roman Catholic Church. a priest deputized by a bishop to assist him in the administration of a diocese.
- Church of England. an ecclesiastical officer, usually a layperson, who assists a bishop or an archbishop in the discharge of his judicial or administrative duties.
noun plural vicars general
- an official, usually a layman, appointed to assist the bishop of a diocese in discharging his administrative or judicial duties