What does "consistory" mean?
A solemn assembly or council.
Consistory
/kənˈsɪstəɹi/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A solemn assembly or council.
- Grammar: consistory is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: chapter, conclave, conference, convention.
- Usage evidence: To council summons all his mighty peers, / Within thick clouds and dark tenfold involved, / A gloomy consistory.
How to use "consistory"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "consistory" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "consistory" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "consistory" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "consistory" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "consistory" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "chapter" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "consistory", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A solemn assembly or council.
"To council summons all his mighty peers, / Within thick clouds and dark tenfold involved, / A gloomy consistory."
- 2 a church tribunal or governing body wordnet
- 3 The spiritual court of a diocesan bishop held before his chancellor or commissioner in his cathedral church or elsewhere.
"1860-1876, Walter Hook, Lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury In 1551 we find Bertholier excommunicated by the consistory because he would not allow that he had done wrong in asserting that he was as good a man as Calvin"
- 4 An assembly of prelates; a session of the College of Cardinals at Rome.
"Pius […][was] then hearing of causes in consistory."
- 5 A church tribunal or governing body, especially of elders in a Reformed church.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A civil court of justice. Early, Modern, obsolete
"And so were many greate and heighnous maters Obiected against S. Ambrose, because he refused to haue the cause betwene himselfe and the Heretike Auxentius, to be tried in the Consistorie of the Emperour, before Secular Iudges."
Example
"To council summons all his mighty peers, / Within thick clouds and dark tenfold involved, / A gloomy consistory."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "consistory"?
Common synonyms include: chapter, conclave, conference, convention, convocation, council.
How do you use "consistory" in a sentence?
To council summons all his mighty peers, / Within thick clouds and dark tenfold involved, / A gloomy consistory.
How do you pronounce "consistory"?
Pronounced /kənˈsɪstəɹi/.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English consistorie, from Old Northern French consistorie (“secular tribunal”) (Old French consistoire), and Late Latin consistorium (“waiting room, meeting place of the imperial council”). Meaning "Church council" is from early 14th century.