Sacred College of Cardinals
- proper noun
:
Sagrado Colegio de Cardenales
- Members of the Sacred College of Cardinals are responsible for electing the new pope.
Examples
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The Sacred College of Cardinals convened in Rome to discuss important matters of doctrine.
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He studied the influence of the Sacred College of Cardinals in Church history.
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The Sacred College of Cardinals meets every year to discuss church matters.
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Did the Sacred College of Cardinals elect a new pope last week?
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Members of the Sacred College of Cardinals are responsible for electing the new pope.
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The Sacred College of Cardinals convened in Rome to discuss important matters of doctrine.
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Did the Sacred College of Cardinals elect a new pope last week?
Synonyms
3
7.1
A group of Catholic cardinals who elect and advise the pope
A group of cardinals in the Catholic Church who elect and advise the Pope
A group of senior Roman Catholic leaders who advise and choose the pope
Surface Forms
Morphology
sacred + college + of + cardinal
The phrase is fully compositional: 'sacred' (holy) modifies 'college' (a collective body or assembly) and 'of cardinals' specifies the members, so the overall meaning 'the collective body of cardinals' follows directly from the parts. Although formal and institutional, it is not idiomatic and comparable constructions appear in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to understand it.
Etymology
Sacred College of Cardinals uses the older meaning of college as a 'group of leaders' and cardinals for the top church officials. The name gives a clear picture of a holy group who meet to advise and 'elect the pope', so it simply names that body of church leaders.