Often kannushi-san. Priest. Literally 'proprietor (nushi) of kami'. According to context it may mean the guardian of a shrine, the head priest (=guji), one who through abstinence can act as a medium for the kami, or a general term for priest equivalent to shinshoku. Grades below kannushi as head priest are gon-kannushi (assistant head priest) and shin-gon-kannushi (junior assistant head priest).
A Popular Dictionary of Shinto. Brian Bocking.