Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun, plural ves·tries.
- a room in or a building attached to a church, in which the vestments, and sometimes liturgical objects, are kept; sacristy.
- (in some churches) a room in or a building attached to a church, used as a chapel, for prayer meetings, for the Sunday school, etc.
- Episcopal Church. a committee elected by members of a congregation to serve with the churchwardens in managing the temporal affairs of the church.
- Church of England. a meeting attended by all the parishioners or by a committee of parishioners during which the official business of the church is discussed.
noun plural -tries
- a room in or attached to a church in which vestments, sacred vessels, etc, are kept
- a room in or attached to some churches, used for Sunday school, meetings, etc
- Church of England
- a meeting of all the members of a parish or their representatives, to transact the official business of the parish
- the body of members meeting for this; the parish council
- Episcopal Church Anglican Church a committee of vestrymen chosen by the congregation to manage the temporal affairs of their church
late 14c., probably from Anglo-French *vesterie, from Old French vestiaire “room for vestments,” from Latin vestarium “wardrobe,” noun use of neuter of vestiarius (adj.) “of clothes,” from vestis “garment” (see vest (v.)).