n. pl. pres·by·ter·ies 1. a. A court composed of Presbyterian Church ministers and representative elders of a particular locality. b. The district represented by this court. 2. Presbyters considered as a group. 3. Government of a church by presbyters. 4. The section of a church reserved for the clergy. 5. Roman Catholic Church The residence of a priest. [Middle English presbetory, priests' bench, from Late Latin presbyterium, council of elders, from Greek presbuterion, from presbuteros, elder; see PRESBYTER.] |
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