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prothonotary definition

pro·thono·tary (prō t̸hän′ə ter′ē, prō′t̸hə nōt′ər ē)

noun pl. prothonotaries -·tar′·ies

  1. Now Rare a chief clerk in some law courts
  2. R.C.Ch. any of the seven members of the College of Prothonotaries Apostolic, who record important pontifical events: also sometimes held as an honorary title by other ecclesiastics

Etymology: ME < ML prothonotarius < LL(Ec) protonotarius: see proto- & notary

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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