consistory

[ kuhn-sis-tuh-ree ]

noun,plural con·sis·to·ries.
  1. any of various ecclesiastical councils or tribunals.

  2. the place where such a council or tribunal meets.

  1. the meeting of any such body.

  2. Roman Catholic Church. a solemn assembly of the whole body of cardinals, summoned and presided over by the pope.

  3. Anglican Church. a diocesan court for dealing with ecclesiastical and spiritual questions, held in the cathedral church and presided over by the bishop, the bishop's chancellor, or the commissary.

  4. (in certain Reformed churches) the governing board of a local church or congregation.

  5. any assembly or council.

  6. Obsolete. a council chamber.

Origin of consistory

1
1275–1325; Middle English consistorie<Anglo-French <Late Latin consistōrium meeting place, equivalent to Latin consist(ere) (see consist) + -(t)ōrium-tory2

Other words from consistory

  • con·sis·to·ri·al [kon-si-stawr-ee-uhl, -stohr-], /ˌkɒn sɪˈstɔr i əl, -ˈstoʊr-/, con·sis·to·ri·an, adjective
  • non·con·sis·to·ri·al, adjective

Words Nearby consistory

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How to use consistory in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for consistory

consistory

/ (kənˈsɪstərɪ) /


nounplural -ries
  1. Church of England

    • the court of a diocese (other than Canterbury) administering ecclesiastical law

    • the area in a church where the consistory meets

  2. RC Church an assembly of the cardinals and the pope

  1. (in certain Reformed Churches) the governing body of a local congregation or church

  2. archaic a council or assembly

Origin of consistory

1
C14: from Old French consistorie, from Medieval Latin consistōrium ecclesiastical tribunal, ultimately from Latin consistere to stand still

Derived forms of consistory

  • consistorial (ˌkɒnsɪˈstɔːrɪəl) or consistorian, adjective

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