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.
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
Cardinals are seen before a consistory ceremony to install 14 new cardinals in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, June 28, 2018.
From Reuters • Aug. 25, 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
Pope Francis talks with Cardinal Angelo Sodano as they arrive to attend a consistory at the Vatican February 13, 2015.
From Reuters • May 28, 2022
Malachy O'Molony was next proclaimed in consistory on 10th January, 1571.
From Irish Ecclesiastical Record, Volume 1, July 1865 by
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.
