senior priest (Shinto)
In modern Shinto, a priest ranking below the chief priest (宮司) and associate chief priest (権宮司).
He serves as a senior priest at the local shrine.
Rare alternative name for grasshopper or locust; not the standard modern term.
See also: バッタ
In Edo-period shrines, the negi played an important role under the kannushi.
In old texts, grasshoppers are sometimes called negi.
禰宜 names a specific priest rank below the chief priest, whereas 神主 is used broadly for a Shinto priest or the head priest, so learners often confuse the two titles.
junior priest (Shinto)
Standard kanji spelling for the Shinto priest rank.
Variant kanji form using 祢 instead of 禰; less common but still encountered.
The origin of the word is uncertain. The kanji 禰 and 宜 are used phonetically, and the term has been used in Shinto contexts since ancient times.