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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Consistory \Con*sis"to*ry\, a.
Of the nature of, or pertaining to, a consistory. "To hold
consistory session." --Strype.
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Consistory \Con*sis"to*ry\ (? or ?; 277) n.; pl. {Consistories}.
[L. consistorium a place of assembly, the place where the
emperor's council met, fr. consistere: cf. F. consistoire,
It. consistorio. See {Consist}.]
1. Primarily, a place of standing or staying together; hence,
any solemn assembly or council.
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To council summons all his mighty peers,
Within thick clouds and dark tenfold involved,
A gloomy consistory. --Milton.
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2. (Eng. Ch.) The spiritual court of a diocesan bishop held
before his chancellor or commissioner in his cathedral
church or elsewhere. --Hook.
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3. (R. C. Ch.) An assembly of prelates; a session of the
college of cardinals at Rome.
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Pius was then hearing of causes in consistory.
--Bacon.
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4. A church tribunal or governing body.
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Note: In some churches, as the Dutch Reformed in America, a
consistory is composed of the minister and elders of an
individual church, corresponding to a Presbyterian
church session, and in others, as the Reformed church
in France, it is composed of ministers and elders,
corresponding to a presbytery. In some Lutheran
countries it is a body of clerical and lay officers
appointed by the sovereign to superintend
ecclesiastical affairs.
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5. A civil court of justice. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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