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A prelate is a high leader in the Christian church — a bishop, a cardinal, or another priest of that rank. It is an old, formal, slightly word. Ordinary today are more likely to say bishop or cardinal. You will meet prelate in history books, news about the Vatican, and older writing. It does not mean any priest; it means one near the top. Though actually, different churches draw the line in different places, but the core picture is the same: someone set above other clergy.
高級神職人員（主教、樞機等）
組成From Old French prelat (French prélat), from Medieval Latin praelātus, the past participle of praeferō, to carry in front or place before — a person set in front of others. The ending -ate here makes a noun for a person. It is a doublet of prefer (same Latin verb, different English path).
原始詞典資料3 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
Prelatename
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A village in Saskatchewan, Canada.
prelatenoun/ˈpɹɛlət/
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A clergyman of high rank and authority, having jurisdiction over an area or a group of people; normally a bishop.
- Hear him but reason in divinity, […] / You would desire the king were made a prelate.
- ’Tis acknowledg’d on all hands, ſays that learned Prelate, that the Authority, either of the Scripture or of Tradition, is founded merely on the Teſtimony of the Apoſtles, who were Eye-witneſſes to thoſe Miracles of our Saviour, by which he prov’d his divine Miſſion.
prelateverb/ˈpɹɛlət/
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(obsolete) To act as a prelate.
- 18 January 1549, Hugh Latimer, Sermon of the Plough Right prelating is busy labouring, and not lording.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。