decretal

American  

[dih-kreet-l] / dɪˈkrit l /

adjective

1. pertaining to, of the nature of, or containing a decree or decrees.

---

noun

1. a papal decree authoritatively determining some point of doctrine or church law.

2. Decretals, the body or collection of such decrees as a part of the canon law.

decretal British  

/ dɪˈkriːtəl /

noun

1. RC Church a papal edict on doctrine or church law

---

adjective

1. of or relating to a decretal or a decree

Other Word Forms

• decretalist
  noun

---

Etymology

Origin of decretal

1350–1400; Middle English < Old French < Late Latin dēcrētālis fixed by decree, equivalent to dēcrēt ( um ) decree + -ālis -al ¹

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

decretal

This decretal, which was adopted into the canon law, is important as embodying the whole theory of the subject.

From A History of The Inquisition of The Middle Ages; volume I by Henry Charles Lea

With this canon should be compared the decretal of Gelasius, De Libris Recipiendis, v. supra, § 92.

From A Source Book for Ancient Church History by Joseph Cullen Ayer

At last came Gregory IX., enemy of the emperors and kings, who by a decree made marriage an unshakeable yoke; his decretal became the law of Europe.

From Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary by Voltaire

In 1528 he was sent with Gardiner to Rome to obtain from Clement VII. a decretal commission for the trial and decision of the case between Henry VIII. and Catherine of Aragon.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 6 "Foraminifera" to "Fox, Edward" by Various

Lucius III., in his Verona decretal of 1184, sought to obtain for the Church the benefit of the confiscation which he again declared to be incurred by heresy.

From A History of The Inquisition of The Middle Ages; volume I by Henry Charles Lea

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---