synod

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Religion Technical · Formal

n. a specific group or district of churches within a larger religious organization.

n. a regional or administrative division of a denomination, particularly within Lutheran or Presbyterian traditions.

“Our local church belongs to the regional synod of the Midwest.”

“The synod voted to allocate additional funding to urban ministries, reflecting the administrative priorities of the district's leadership.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical · Archaic

n. a rare meeting or coming together of two or more planets or stars in the sky.

n. a conjunction or alignment of two or more celestial bodies.

“Ancient astronomers recorded the rare synod of Jupiter and Saturn.”

“The rare planetary synod provided a unique opportunity for researchers to calibrate their instruments against multiple bright sources simultaneously.”