Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
definitor

definitor

9.9
A member of a religious council who advises the head of the order when making decisions
  • noun
  • /dɪˈfɪnɪtər/
  • Jargon
translation icon : definidor
  • The definitor provided valuable insights during the council meeting, helping the superiors make informed decisions.

Examples

  • When Anna had first decided to found a convent, she had approached the Father General and Definitor of the Discalced Carmelites, Paolo Simone di Giesu Maria, requesting that the order accept the rule of the new community.

    Academic text (1994)

  • She was appointed as a definitor, responsible for guiding the religious order in various administrative matters.

  • During the retreat, the definitor offered wise counsel to the community leaders, shaping their collective vision.

Synonyms

councilor
vsdefinitor
  • US
13 3.3

A member of a local council who helps make decisions for the community

is a religious adviser who assists higher leaders in decision making
councilist
vsdefinitor
7.6

A person elected to a council to represent a local area

is a religious adviser chosen to assist senior leaders rather than elected to govern

Surface Forms

definitor singular
definitors plural

Morphology

definitor = define (opaque) = define + or

Although the form is analyzable as 'define' + '-or', the attested meaning is a specialized ecclesiastical office and is not predictable from the verb by an average learner.

Etymology

The word definitor comes from the Latin root defin- meaning 'to set a limit' or 'to explain clearly', the same root as the English words define and definition. So, a definitor is a person who helps 'define' rules and decisions in a religious order, advising the leaders on what to do.