See Also: decretal(medicine)
decretal(dictionary)
DECRETAL ORDER(law)

decretal (iou)



decretal noun & adjective. ME.
[Late Latin decretale (whence also Old & mod. French decretale), use as noun of neut. sing. of decretalis adjective (whence the English adjective), from Latin decret- pa. ppl stem of decernere DECERN: see -AL1.]
A. noun.
Ecclesiastical. A papal decree or decretal epistle; a document issued by a pope determining some point of doctrine or ecclesiastical law; in pl., the collection of such decrees forming part of the canon law. ME.
gen. A decree; an ordinance. L16.
b. adjective.
Pertaining to, of the nature of, or containing, a decree or decrees (esp. papal). L15.
Esp. of God's laws: imperative, inviolable. Also, decisive, definitive. Only in 17.
decretaline adjective of or pertaining to the decretals E17-E18.
decretalist noun (a) a holder of the Calvinistic doctrine of the decrees of God; (b) = DECRETIST: E18.
decretally adverb in a decretal way; by way of decree: E17.