magisterium

noun

mag·​is·​te·​ri·​um ˌma-jə-ˈstir-ē-əm How to pronounce magisterium (audio)
: teaching authority especially of the Roman Catholic Church

Examples of magisterium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In making this determination, the Catholic Advisory Board members are guided by the magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. Chris Carosa, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2022 Old catechisms used to say that there were three sources of religious authority in Catholicism: the scriptures, tradition, and the magisterium of the church. Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 15 Sep. 2021 The new rules say the bishops' final document becomes part of his official church teaching, or magisterium — but only if the pope approves it. Nicole Winfield, Fox News, 18 Sep. 2018 There is no evangelical magisterium, dictating the terms of excommunication and apostasy. Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, 13 Sep. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'magisterium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of magisterium was in 1866

Dictionary Entries Near magisterium

Cite this Entry

“Magisterium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magisterium. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

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