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
Van Looy had been one of 21 individuals Francis selected for the honor, a move that will be formalized — for the other 20 — during a consistory in August.
From Washington Post • Jun. 17, 2022
Here is a list of the 21 men Pope Francis will install as Roman Catholic cardinals at a ceremony known as a consistory on Aug. 27.
From Reuters • May 29, 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
The consistory exhorted Kühl to be more careful and his opponents to be more patient.
From Church History, Vol. 3 of 3 by Kurtz, J. H.
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.
