coadjutor

noun co·ad·ju·tor \ ˌkō-ə-ˈjü-tər , kō-ˈa-jə-tər \

Updated on: 30 Mar 2018

Definition of coadjutor

1 : one who works together with another : assistant

2 : a bishop assisting a diocesan bishop and often having the right of succession

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coadjutor

adjective

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Examples of coadjutor in a Sentence

he was appointed coadjutor to the president

Recent Examples of coadjutor from the Web

The pope in 2016 appointed Byrnes as coadjutor archbishop, who would permanently replace Apuron should Apuron resign, retire or be removed.

— haidee v eugenio, USA TODAY, "After Vatican verdict, Guam's Catholic church seeks to rebuild faith," 18 Mar. 2018
But in 2013, the pope reassigned Bishop Hebda to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and Francis did not name a new coadjutor archbishop for Newark.

— james barron, New York Times, "Cardinal Tobin, New Newark Archbishop, Cites ‘Chasm Between Life and Faith’," 6 Jan. 2017
In 2013, the pope named a Michigan bishop, Bernard A. Hebda, to be coadjutor archbishop in Newark.

— james barron, New York Times, "Cardinal Tobin, New Newark Archbishop, Cites ‘Chasm Between Life and Faith’," 6 Jan. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'coadjutor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of coadjutor

Middle English coadjutour, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin coadjutor, from Latin co- + adjutor helper, from adjuvare to help — more at aid

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year