consistory
Americannoun
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any of various ecclesiastical councils or tribunals.
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the place where such a council or tribunal meets.
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the meeting of any such body.
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Roman Catholic Church. a solemn assembly of the whole body of cardinals, summoned and presided over by the pope.
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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.
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(in certain Reformed churches) the governing board of a local church or congregation.
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any assembly or council.
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Obsolete. a council chamber.
noun
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Church of England
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the court of a diocese (other than Canterbury) administering ecclesiastical law
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the area in a church where the consistory meets
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RC Church an assembly of the cardinals and the pope
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(in certain Reformed Churches) the governing body of a local congregation or church
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archaic a council or assembly
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of consistory
1275–1325; Middle English consistorie < Anglo-French < Late Latin consistōrium meeting place, equivalent to Latin consist ( ere ) ( see consist) + -( t ) ōrium -tory 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At a ceremony in St. Peter's Square known as a consistory, Francis "created" 21 new cardinals, the red-hatted "princes of the Church" who are his closest advisers at the Vatican and around the world.
From Reuters • Sep. 30, 2023
The ceremony to install them, known as a consistory, will be held on Sept. 30, Francis announced during his noon prayer to pilgrims and tourist in St. Peter's Square.
From Reuters • Jul. 9, 2023
After the consistory, those from Europe will account for 42% of the College of Cardinals, compared to 52% in 2013, when Francis’ pontificate began.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 27, 2022
Two days after the August consistory, the pope will reconvene the cardinals to discuss the new Vatican constitution, which took effect on June 5.
From Washington Post • Jun. 20, 2022
The effect of his presence was soon perceptible; the pope assembled the cardinals and several other prelates in a secret consistory, and abolished the order, by his sole authority, on the 22d March, 1313.
From Secret Societies of the Middle Ages by Keightley, Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
