prothonotary

[ proh-thon-uh-ter-ee, proh-thuh-noh-tuh-ree ]

/ proʊˈθɒn əˌtɛr i, ˌproʊ θəˈnoʊ tə ri /

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noun, plural pro·thon·o·tar·ies.

a chief clerk or official in certain courts of law.

Roman Catholic Church.

any of the seven members of the college of prothonotaries apostolic, charged chiefly with the registry of pontifical acts and canonizations.
an honorary title for certain other prelates.

Greek Orthodox Church. the chief secretary of the patriarch of Constantinople.

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Also protonotary.

Origin of prothonotary

1400–50; late Middle English <Medieval Latin prōthonotārius,Late Latin prōtonotārius<Greek prōtonotā́rios.See proto-, notary

OTHER WORDS FROM prothonotary

pro·thon·o·tar·i·al

[proh-thon-uh-tair-ee-uhl, proh-thuh-noh-tair-], /proʊˌθɒn əˈtɛər i əl, ˌproʊ θə noʊˈtɛər-/, adjective

Words nearby prothonotary

prothalamion, prothalamium, prothallium, prothallus, prothesis, prothonotary, prothonotary apostolic, prothonotary warbler, prothoracic gland, prothorax, prothrombin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use prothonotary in a sentence

You turn up your eyes in wonder—the prothonotary of an English court would scarcely sport such a fox-hunter's garb.
Bits of Blarney|R. Shelton Mackenzie
Alexander lured the prothonotary to Rome and, having confined him in the castle of S. Angelo, began a process against him.
Lucretia Borgia|Ferdinand Gregorovius
I speeded to the prothonotary's office, which was kept in the village, and quickly ascertained the truth of Hadwin's pretensions.
Arthur Mervyn|Charles Brockden Brown
Another of this family conspicuous for its brilliant coloring is the prothonotary warbler.
Birds and Nature Vol. 11 No. 3 [March 1902]|Various

That day I found the first nest of the prothonotary warbler.
Everyday Adventures|Samuel Scoville

British Dictionary definitions for prothonotary

prothonotary

protonotary

/ (ˌprəʊθəˈnəʊtərɪ, -trɪ, prəʊˈθɒnə-) /

noun plural -taries

(formerly) a chief clerk in certain law courts

Derived forms of prothonotary

prothonotarial (prəʊˌθɒnəˈtɛərɪəl) or protonotarial, adjective

Word Origin for prothonotary

C15: from Medieval Latin prōthonotārius, from prōtho- proto- + Late Latin notārius notary

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012