curia

[kyoor-ee-uh]

noun

plural

curiae 

1. one of the political subdivisions of each of the three tribes of ancient Rome.

2. the building in which such a division or group met, as for worship or public deliberation.

3. the senate house in ancient Rome.

4. the senate of an ancient Italian town.

5. (sometimes initial capital letter),  Curia Romana.

6. the papal court.

7. the administrative aides of a bishop.

curia

/ ˈkjʊərɪə /

noun

1. (sometimes capital) the papal court and government of the Roman Catholic Church

2. 1. any of the ten subdivisions of the Latin, Sabine, or Etruscan tribes

   2. a meeting place of such a subdivision

   3. the senate house of Rome

   4. the senate of an Italian town under Roman administration

3. (in the Middle Ages) a court held in the king's name See also Curia Regis

Other Word Forms

• curial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of curia¹

1590–1600; < Latin cūria, perhaps < *coviria, equivalent to co- co- + vir man + -ia -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of curia¹

C16: from Latin, from Old Latin coviria (unattested), from _co- + vir man

Example Sentences

Police attempts to ban those events were thwarted by Hungary's Supreme Court, the Curia, in two rulings so far.

From BBC

The secretary of state also heads the Roman Curia, the Church's central administration.

From BBC

Soon after his election, he replaced key officials at the troubled Vatican bank and appointed a blue-ribbon commission to advise him on overhauling the Curia, the Vatican administration.

From Los Angeles Times

New appointees to oversee the Vatican bank tried to bring more transparency to a shadowy institution suspected of laundering money, and a panel of eight cardinals from six continents advised Francis on how to overhaul the Curia.

From Los Angeles Times

Pope John Paul II made him a cardinal in 2001 and he took up posts in the Church's civil service, the Curia.

From BBC