protonotary Definition
- 1an officer of the Roman Catholic Church who is the chief notary of the Roman Curia
- 2a chief clerk or record keeper
Using protonotary: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "protonotary" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The protonotary of the diocese was responsible for keeping the official records.
Example
The protonotary apostolic is one of the highest-ranking prelates in the Roman Catholic Church.
Example
The protonotary public is responsible for authenticating legal documents.
protonotary Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with protonotary
a high-ranking prelate in the Roman Catholic Church, ranking immediately below a bishop
Example
The protonotary apostolic is one of the highest-ranking prelates in the Roman Catholic Church.
a public officer authorized to authenticate legal documents and administer oaths
Example
The protonotary public is responsible for authenticating legal documents.
a small songbird that breeds in North America and winters in Central America and northern South America
Example
The prothonotary warbler is known for its bright yellow plumage.
Origins of protonotary
from Late Latin 'protonotarius', from Greek 'prōtonotarios', meaning 'first scribe'
Summary: protonotary in Brief
A 'protonotary' [proh-tuh-noh-ter-ee] is an officer of the Roman Catholic Church who is the chief notary of the Roman Curia, or a chief clerk or record keeper. It is also used to refer to the protonotary apostolic, one of the highest-ranking prelates in the Roman Catholic Church, and the protonotary public, responsible for authenticating legal documents. The term comes from the Late Latin 'protonotarius', meaning 'first scribe'.
