presbytery

pres·by·tery | \ ˈprez-bə-ˌter-ē

How to pronounce presbytery (audio)

, ˈpres-, -bə-trē \

plural presbyteries

Definition of presbytery

1 : the part of a church reserved for the officiating clergy

2 : a ruling body in presbyterian churches consisting of the ministers and representative elders from congregations within a district

3 : the jurisdiction of a presbytery

4 : the house of a Roman Catholic parish priest

Examples of presbytery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On the road into the city from Melbourne, the state capital, the red brick Gothic-like presbytery of St. Alipius immediately stands out. — Jacqueline Williams, New York Times, "Cardinal George Pell’s Hometown Breaks Its Silence About Grim Past of Sexual Abuse," 29 Apr. 2018 After carefully filling an ancient presbytery near France’s Loire Valley with a personal library of no fewer than 35,000 volumes, he was compelled to pack them all up again in preparation for a move to a New York apartment. — Ernest Hilbert, WSJ, "‘Packing My Library,’ ‘The Book: An Homage’ and ‘Unpacking My Library’ Reviews: Putting Your Self on a Shelf," 13 Apr. 2018 The local presbytery of the Presbyterian Church USA asked its leaders last year to embark on a period of self-assessment. — Jonathan M. Pitts, Washington Post, "Churches merge and close in Maryland — 8 Episcopal churches shutter since 2007," 23 Oct. 2017 The local presbytery of the Presbyterian Church USA asked its leaders last year to embark on a period of self-assessment. — Jonathan M. Pitts, Washington Post, "Churches merge and close in Maryland — 8 Episcopal churches shutter since 2007," 23 Oct. 2017 The local presbytery of the Presbyterian Church USA asked its leaders last year to embark on a period of self-assessment. — Jonathan M. Pitts, Washington Post, "Churches merge and close in Maryland — 8 Episcopal churches shutter since 2007," 23 Oct. 2017 The local presbytery of the Presbyterian Church USA asked its leaders last year to embark on a period of self-assessment. — Jonathan M. Pitts, Washington Post, "Churches merge and close in Maryland — 8 Episcopal churches shutter since 2007," 23 Oct. 2017 The local presbytery of the Presbyterian Church USA asked its leaders last year to embark on a period of self-assessment. — Jonathan M. Pitts, baltimoresun.com, "Churches merge, close: 'We no longer live in Christendom. We really have to accept that it's a thing of the past'," 10 Oct. 2017 The local presbytery of the Presbyterian Church USA asked its leaders last year to embark on a period of self-assessment. — Jonathan M. Pitts, baltimoresun.com, "Churches merge, close: 'We no longer live in Christendom. We really have to accept that it's a thing of the past'," 10 Oct. 2017

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

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Cite this Entry

“Presbytery.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presbytery. Accessed 19 January 2020.

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