synod
1. An ecclesiastic council or meeting to consult on church matters.
Synods are of four kinds: 1. General, or ecumenical, which are compopsed of bishops from different nations; commonly called general council. 2. National, composed of bishops of one nation only. 3. Provincial, in which the bishops of only one province meet; called also convocations. 4. Diocesan, a synod in which the bishop of the diocese or his representative presides. Among Presbyterians, a synod is composed of several adjoining presbyteries. The members are the ministers and a ruling elder from each parish.
2. An assembly or council having civil authority; a legislative body. It hath in solemn synods been decreed, Both by the Syracusians and ourselves, To admit no traffic to our adverse towns. (Shak) Parent of gods and men, propitious Jove! And you, bright synod of the powers above. (Dryden)
3. (Science: astronomy) A conjunction of two or more of the heavenly bodies.
Origin: L. Synodus, Gr. A meeting; with – a way; cf. AS. Sino, seno, F. Synode, both from the Latin.
Dictionary > Synod
You will also like...

Primitive Animals
Life, as we know it today, is presumed to have started in the sea and many of them were likely eukaryotic animal-like or..

Muscle
Muscle cells are specialized to generate force and movement. Learn about the different types of muscle tissues in this t..

Geological Periods
Geological periods is a study guide that cites the different geological periods on Earth's timeline. Each has a brief ov..

Cell Respiration
Cell respiration is the process of creating ATP. It is "respiration" because it utilizes oxygen. Know the different stag..

Indicator Species and Endangered Species
Certain species are capable of expressing characteristics indicative of the state of the ecosystem they occupy. They are..

Lights’ Effect on Growth
This tutorial elaborates on the effect of light on plant growth. It describes how different plants require different amo..