Word
vestry
UK/vˈɛstɹi/
Definition
n. a small room in a church where the priest keeps clothes, books, and other items. It is usually located near the altar.
n. a small room in a church, typically situated behind the altar, used for storing vestments, liturgical books, and other ecclesiastical items. Often used as a meeting place for the local parish council.
Examples
“The priest kept his ceremonial robes in the vestry.”
“After the service, the congregation gathered in the vestry to discuss the upcoming charity event.”
“The stone vestry, built in the late Gothic style, serves as both a storage facility for sacred vestments and a quiet office for the parish administrator.”
Examples
simple
“The priest kept his ceremonial robes in the vestry.”
contextual
“After the service, the congregation gathered in the vestry to discuss the upcoming charity event.”
complex
“The stone vestry, built in the late Gothic style, serves as both a storage facility for sacred vestments and a quiet office for the parish administrator.”
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman vesterie, from Old French vestiaire (“room for vestments, dressing room”), from Latin vestiarium (“wardrobe”). Doublet of vestiary.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/vestry