noun
Buddhist priest; sōzu (clerical rank)
A specific rank in Japanese Buddhism, below 僧正 (sōjō) and above 律師 (risshi). Historical and formal; not a general term for any Buddhist priest.
その寺の僧都は、長年修行を積んだ高僧だった。
The sōzu of that temple was a high-ranking priest who had trained for many years.
From Middle Chinese 僧都. The term was adopted into the Japanese Buddhist clerical ranking system.