concordat

[kon-kawr-dat]

noun

1. an agreement or compact, especially an official one.

2. an agreement between the pope and a secular government regarding the regulation of church matters.

concordat

/ kɒnˈkɔːdæt /

noun

1. a pact or treaty, esp one between the Vatican and another state concerning the interests of religion in that state

Other Word Forms

• concordatory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of concordat¹

1610–20; < French; replacing concordate < Medieval Latin concordātum, Latin: neuter of concordātus, past participle of concordāre to be in agreement. See concord, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of concordat¹

C17: via French, from Medieval Latin concordātum, from Latin: something agreed, from concordāre to be of one mind; see _concord

Example Sentences

"Our legal system contains all the guarantees to ensure that laws always respect constitutional principles and international commitments, including the concordat with the Church," he said.

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In 1933, he negotiated a concordat between the Catholic church and Germany.

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But in both France and Italy, a “concordat” between the Vatican and state means that bishops can refuse to testify in court.

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The concordat targets staff members who are primarily employed to do research, including postdocs, contract researchers and technicians.

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Bishops’ wages are paid by the state and Catholic schools receive state support, in accordance with a concordat signed in 1979 between the Vatican and Argentina’s 1976-83 military dictatorship.

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Related Words

• arrangement 
• bargain 
• bond 
• commitment 
• guarantee 
• obligation 
• pact 
• pledge 
• record 
• settlement