the papal court and government of the Roman Catholic Church
2. (in ancient Rome)
a.
any of the ten subdivisions of the Latin, Sabine, or Etruscan tribes
b.
a meeting place of such a subdivision
c.
the senate house of Rome
d.
the senate of an Italian town under Roman administration
3.
(in the Middle Ages) a court held in the king's name
See also Curia Regis
Derived forms
curial (ˈcurial)
adjective
Word origin
C16: from Latin, from Old Latin coviria (unattested), from co- + vir man
curia in American English
(ˈkjʊriə)
nounWord forms: pluralˈcuriˌae (ˈkjʊriˌi)
1.
in ancient Rome,
a.
any of the ten political subdivisions into which the Latin, Sabine, and Etruscan tribes were each divided
b.
its meeting place
c.
the senate house at Rome
2.
a medieval judicial council or court held in the king's name
3. [C-]
the administrative body of the Roman Catholic Church, consisting of various departments, courts, officials, etc., functioning under the authority of the pope
: in full Curia Roˈmana (roʊˈmɑnə; roʊˈmeɪnə)
Derived forms
curial (ˈcurial)
adjective
Word origin
L (in ML, court) < OL *co-viria, assembly of men < co-, together + *viro-, man: see virile