presbytery Hear it!

presbytery definition

pres·by·tery (prez′bə ter′ē, pres′-)

noun pl. presbyteries -·ter′·ies

  1. Presbyterian Ch.
    1. a body of presbyters; specif., an ecclesiastical court and governing body consisting of the minister and representative elders from each church in a district
    2. the district of such a court
  2. the part of a church reserved for the officiating clergy
  3. R.C.Ch., Now Rare a priest's house; rectory

Etymology: ME presbetory < OFr presbiterie < LL(Ec) presbyterium, council of elders < Gr(Ec) presbyterion < Gr presbyteros, elder: see priest

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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