Monsignor Meaning
/mɒnˈsiː.njə/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAn ecclesiastic title bestowed on some Roman Catholic clerics by the Pope
nounAlternative letter-case form of monsignor.
Sentence Examples
Calling him "Monsignor" seems too feudal.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ceremony was led by ____ Williams, the respected church leader from the local diocese.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The bishop appointed the senior priest as a ____ in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to the local religious community.
Word Origin & History
From Italian monsignore, from signore under influence from Middle French monseigneur. Doublet of monseigneur and monsieur.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Brother Matteo is a Capuchin, of course, so he eats pretty frugally: bread and water, vegetables and fruit, no meat, no cheese. And poor old Father Bechetti lost his appetite when he lost his teeth. So it’s really the three Monsignors who do the feasting."
— 2011, Gyles Brandreth, Oscar Wilde and the Vatican Murders, London: John Murray, →ISBN, page 123:
"Unlike other previous Prelates, who were swiftly anointed bishops, Francis did not follow suit. Ocáriz remained a Monsignor. In the eyes of many observers, it was a demotion of Opus Dei."
— 2024 March 16, Antonia Cundy, “The Opus Dei diaries”, in FT Weekend, London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 18:
"He goes one day to hear Father Hecker preach on the Destiny of Man, on another to hear Monsignor Pie, Bishop of Poitiers, then Archbishop Manning, and again Monsignor Mermillod and Father Burke. […] We have just made her a grand festa for her day, the 20th—twelve Masses, cardinal, two archbishops, two monsignori, the other seven, priests."
— 1892, “Great Events in Rome”, in John Morris, editor, The Life of Mother Henrietta Kerr, Religious of the Sacred Heart, 3rd edition, Roehampton, pages 182 and 197:
"We were passed on from one room to another, and finally came to a halt in a large square room, where there were more priests, one or two monsignori, in their violet robes, and two officers. […] We had barely time to exchange a few remarks, as Monsignor Bicletis was waiting for us to advance."
— 1905, Mary King Waddington, “Italy Revisited”, in Italian Letters of a Diplomat’s Wife; January–May 1880; February–April, 1904, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, pages 249–250:
"He wore the dress of an abbot and was accompanied by two monsignori in simple black. […] It was a letter from Monsignor Chatrousse, the Bishop of Valence in France."
— 1955, Francis Beauchesne Thornton, Cross upon Cross: The Life of Pope Pius IX, New York, N.Y.: Benziger Brothers, Inc., pages 83 (The Pope Begins His Reign) and 114 (The Flight to Gaeta):
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ceremony was led by ____ Williams, the respected church leader from the local diocese.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The bishop appointed the senior priest as a ____ in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to the local religious community.