tertianship

[tur-shuhn-ship]

noun

1. (in the Jesuit order) a period of strict discipline before the taking of final vows, beginning one or two years after ordination.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tertianship¹

First recorded in 1850–55; tertian + -ship

Example Sentences

Last of all comes tertianship, the ultimate stage in formation, a stretch of contemplation about Jesuit spirituality that closes with another 30-day retreat.

Read more on Slate