lay investiture

[ leyin-ves-ti-cher, -choor ]

/ ˈleɪ ɪnˈvɛs tɪ tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər /

Save This Word!

noun

(in medieval Europe) bestowal of a church office by a member of the secular nobility rather than by church officials: Pope Gregory VII prohibited lay investiture of bishops and, in 1076, excommunicated the Holy Roman Emperor for his resistance.

QUIZ

ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ

There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!

Question 1 of 7

True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

true

false

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of lay investiture

First recorded in 1610–20

Words nearby lay investiture

lay hold of, lay in, laying on of hands, lay intermediary, lay into, lay investiture, lay it on the line, lay it on thick, lay low, layman, layman's terms

How to use lay investiture in a sentence

One police officer was coolly dispatched as he lay wounded on the sidewalk.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Lay the butterflied pork loin on the cutting board with the fat cap facing down.
Make Carla Hall’s Roasted Pork Loin With Cranberries|Carla Hall|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The cop lay open-eyed with a grievous head wound as Johnson again checked for a pulse.
'Please Don't Die!': The Frantic Battle to Save Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Gingerly, about 30 couples lay down and squatted on mats and rugs for the mass face-sit.
Britain’s Record-Breaking Face-Sitting Porn Protest|Nico Hines|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In their opinion, this would allow conservatives to lay a marker down on immigration while avoiding a shutdown for the time being.
Bachmann and Pelosi vs. Boehner and Obama Over Spending Bill|Ben Jacobs|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A small book, bound in full purple calf, lay half hidden in a nest of fine tissue paper on the dressing-table.
Hilda Lessways|Arnold Bennett
The seed of discontent was again germinating under the duplicity of the Spanish lay and clerical authorities.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
At the sight, Felipe flung himself on his knees before her; he kissed the aged hands as they lay trembling in her lap.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
Alone Orlean lay trying vainly to forget something—something that stood like a spectre before her eyes.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux
Sometimes the child lay so still that Aristide arose to see whether he was alive.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke