Vestry

/ˈvɛstɹi/ noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A room in a church where the clergy put on their vestments and where these are stored; also used for meetings and classes; a sacristy.

    "The choirboys change into their cassocks in the vestry."

  2. 2
    a room in a church where sacred vessels and vestments are kept or meetings are held wordnet
  3. 3
    A committee of parishioners elected to administer the temporal affairs of a parish.

    "The vestry meets on the first Tuesday of every month."

  4. 4
    in the Protestant Episcopal Church: a committee elected by the congregation to work with the churchwardens in managing the temporal affairs of the church wordnet
  5. 5
    An assembly of persons who manage parochial affairs; so called because usually held in a vestry.

Example

More examples

"But surely, if your supernatural theory be correct, it could work the young man evil in London as easily as in Devonshire. A devil with merely local powers like a parish vestry would be too inconceivable a thing."

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman vesterie, from Old French vestiaire (“room for vestments, dressing room”), from Latin vestiarium (“wardrobe”). Doublet of vestiary.

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