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.

To council summons all his mighty peers,
Within thick clouds and dark tenfold involved,
A gloomy consistory. --Milton.

2. (Eng. Ch.) The spiritual court of a diocesan bishop held
before his chancellor or commissioner in his cathedral
church or elsewhere. --Hook.

3. (R. C. Ch.) An assembly of prelates; a session of the
college of cardinals at Rome.

Pius was then hearing of causes in consistory.
--Bacon.

4. A church tribunal or governing body.

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.

5. A civil court of justice. [Obs.] --Chaucer.