A respectful, somewhat old-fashioned way to refer to a Buddhist monk, often used by parishioners or in traditional contexts. Can also be used humorously or affectionately.
The monk chants sutras every morning (respectful).
The villagers deeply respect the monk.
Standard respectful spelling using 寺 and honorific 様.
Kana ending softens the form; common in less formal writing.
Combination of honorific prefix お, 寺 (temple), and honorific suffix 様. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it likely arose as a respectful way to refer to a temple's head monk.