synod

noun

syn·​od ˈsi-nəd How to pronounce synod (audio)
 also  -ˌnäd
1
: an ecclesiastical governing or advisory council: such as
a
: an assembly of bishops in the Roman Catholic Church
b
: the governing assembly of an Episcopal province
c
: a Presbyterian governing body ranking between the presbytery and the general assembly
d
: a regional or national organization of Lutheran congregations
2
: the ecclesiastical district governed by a synod
synodal
ˈsi-nə-dᵊl
-ˌnä-;
sə-ˈnä-dᵊl How to pronounce synod (audio)
adjective

Examples of synod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At previous synods, women were only allowed more marginal roles of observers or experts, literally seated in the last row of the audience hall while the bishops and cardinals took the front rows and voted. Nicole Winfield and Trisha Thomas, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023 In the Polish Pope’s world view, anti-Communism and traditionalism were inextricably combined; for him, renewal had spread out of control, and the regional synods were part of the problem. Paul Elie, The New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2023 Vatican summit tackles women’s ordination with a nod from Pope Francis Vatican synods — held in the past with only bishops and cardinals as voting members — tend to convene two to three times per decade. Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2023 Inside the synod auditorium, laypeople sat at round tables alongside cardinals and bishops, rather than in the upper back row of the Vatican's audience hall as in previous synods. Nicole Winfield The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2023 The Vatican has hosted synods for decades to discuss particular issues such as the church in Africa or the Amazon, with bishops voting on proposals at the end for the pope to consider in a future document. Nicole Winfield and Trisha Thomas, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023 Amazonian bishops had proposed allowing married priests to minister to their faithful who sometimes go months at a time without Mass, but Francis shot down the proposal after an Amazonian synod in 2019. Nicole Winfield, BostonGlobe.com, 20 June 2023 After years of complaints by women, who had been allowed to participate in synods only as nonvoting experts, auditors, or observers, Pope Francis not only gave Sister Becquart a voting role, but expanded the vote to laypeople in general. Nicole Winfield and Trisha Thomas, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 June 2023 Previously, synods took place in the Vatican’s theater-like synod hall, where cardinals and bishops would take the front rows and priests, nuns and finally lay people getting seated in the back rows, far from the stage. Nicole Winfield, BostonGlobe.com, 20 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'synod.' 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

Middle English sinod, from Late Latin synodus, from Late Greek synodos, from Greek, meeting, assembly, from syn- + hodos way, journey

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of synod was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near synod

Cite this Entry

“Synod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/synod. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

synod

noun
syn·​od ˈsin-əd How to pronounce synod (audio)
1
: a meeting of church leaders
2
: the governing or advisory council of a church
synodal adjective
synodical
sə-ˈnäd-i-kəl
adjective
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