synod
Americannoun
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an assembly of ecclesiastics or other church delegates, convoked pursuant to the law of the church, for the discussion and decision of ecclesiastical affairs; ecclesiastical council.
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any council.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of synod
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin synodus < Greek sýnodos meeting, equivalent to syn- syn- + ( h ) odós way
Vocabulary lists containing synod
World Religions
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"The Minister's Black Veil," Vocabulary from the short story
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"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 2
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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.
Pastor Marlin, 57, said the Protestant synod also helps in cases of violence against women and children "if the victims speak up".
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Bishop of Blackburn Philip North - who tabled the amendment slimming down the choice put before the synod to one option - argued that the simpler model could be implemented more quickly.
From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2025
The pope’s mixed record on LGBTQ+ issues was epitomized by the Vatican’s 2023 synod bringing together hundreds of bishops and lay people from around the world to confer on the future of the church.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 18, 2023
Most recently, the cardinal held a conference called The Synodal Babel in Rome on the eve of the Pope's synod, or meeting of bishops, last month.
From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2023
The synod of 1559 was the beginning of a remarkable increase in the Reform movement; at that synod fifteen churches were represented, two years later, in 1561, the number increased to 2150.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 8 "Hudson River" to "Hurstmonceaux" by Various
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.
