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College of Cardinals

American  

noun

  1. the chief ecclesiastical body of the Roman Catholic Church, electing and advising the pope and comprising all of the cardinals of the church.

College of Cardinals British  

noun

  1. RC Church the collective body of cardinals having the function of electing and advising the pope

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

The dean of the College of Cardinals has 15 to 20 days to summon the cardinals to Rome once the Pope is buried.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2025

This is when the College of Cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City for the conclave.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2025

At age 49 he will become the second-youngest member of the College of Cardinals when he is installed Sept. 30.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 30, 2023

Daily Il Fatto Quotidiano quoted an email from the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Battista Re, to his colleagues saying Francis’ return to the Vatican was expected Thursday or Friday.

From Washington Times • Jun. 14, 2023

“Bribed the Conclave”: the meeting of the members of the Sacred College of Cardinals for the election of a pope is called a conclave.

From The Browning Cyclop?dia A Guide to the Study of the Works of Robert Browning by Berdoe, Edward

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.