ecclesiastical court


noun
  1. a church court in ecclesiastical matters, presided over by members of the clergy and usually having no compulsory jurisdiction.

Origin of ecclesiastical court

1
First recorded in 1675–85

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use ecclesiastical court in a sentence

  • The local authorities at once took high ground, and put twelve of the recusants into the ecclesiastical court.

    East Anglia | J. Ewing Ritchie
  • We in our country consider that your ecclesiastical court is a most remarkable institution for a Christian land.

    Piccadilly | Laurence Oliphant
  • "The ecclesiastical court is a court of discipline and doctrine rather than of law," said Dickiefield.

    Piccadilly | Laurence Oliphant
  • There was no ecclesiastical court and, therefore, no source of authority to which dissatisfied couples might turn.

  • It's quite a different thing to stand up before an ecclesiastical court and answer a string of questions about nebulous things.

    Lalage's Lovers | George A. Birmingham