consistory

[ kuhn-sis-tuh-ree ]

noun

, plural con·sis·to·ries.

1. any of various ecclesiastical councils or tribunals.
2. the place where such a council or tribunal meets.
3. the meeting of any such body.
4. Roman Catholic Church. a solemn assembly of the whole body of cardinals, summoned and presided over by the pope.
5. 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.
6. (in certain Reformed churches) the governing board of a local church or congregation.
7. any assembly or council.
8. Obsolete. a council chamber.

consistory

/ ˌkɒnsɪˈstɔːrɪəl; kənˈsɪstərɪ /

noun

1. Church of England
   1. the court of a diocese (other than Canterbury) administering ecclesiastical law
   2. the area in a church where the consistory meets
2. RC Church an assembly of the cardinals and the pope
3. (in certain Reformed Churches) the governing body of a local congregation or church
4. archaic.
   a council or assembly

Derived Forms

• consistorial, adjective

Other Words From

• con·sis·to·ri·al [kon-si-, stawr, -ee-, uh, l, -, stohr, -], consis·tori·an adjective
• noncon·sis·tori·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of consistory¹

1275–1325; Middle English consistorie < Anglo-French < Late Latin consistōrium meeting place, equivalent to Latin consist ( ere ) ( consist ) + -( t ) ōrium -tory ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of consistory¹

C14: from Old French consistorie, from Medieval Latin consistōrium ecclesiastical tribunal, ultimately from Latin consistere to stand still

Example Sentences

But at a consistory of cardinals in Vatican City on Monday, Francis made his case.

From The Daily Beast

He created in the Consistory a Calvinistic inquisition, absolutely similar to the revolutionary tribunal of Robespierre.

From Project Gutenberg

This end of the transept was till quite recently railed off, and used as the consistory court of the Chancellor of Carlisle.

From Project Gutenberg

On January 2, 1821, the property was finally deeded to the consistory.

From Project Gutenberg

In 1843, on the land back of the church the "Consistory Building" was erected.

From Project Gutenberg

But the consistory could not itself inflict punishment; that was the province of the civil government.

From Project Gutenberg