protonotary

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: pro=ton=o=tar=y

CIDE DICTIONARY

protonotary, n. [LL. protonotarius, fr. Gr. prw^tos first + L. notarius a shorthand writer, a scribe: cf. F. protonotaire.].

•  A chief notary or clerk.  Herrick.  [1913 Webster]
•  Formerly, a chief clerk in the Court of King's Bench and in the Court of Common Pleas, now superseded by the master.  Wharton. Burrill.  [1913 Webster]
•  A register or chief clerk of a court in certain States of the United States.  [1913 Webster]
•  Formerly, one who had the charge of writing the acts of the martyrs, and the circumstances of their death; now, one of twelve persons, constituting a college in the Roman Curia, whose office is to register pontifical acts and to make and preserve the official record of beatifications.  [1913 Webster]
•  The chief secretary of the patriarch of Constantinople.  [1913 Webster]

Prothonotary warbler (Zoöl.), a small American warbler (Protonotaria citrea). The general color is golden yellow, the back is olivaceous, the rump and tail are ash-color, several outer tail feathers are partly white.

protonotary, n. 

 Same as Prothonotary.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

protonotary, n. (pl. -ies) (also prothonotary) a chief clerk in some law courts, orig. in the Byzantine court.

Idiom

Protonotary Apostolic (or Apostolical) a member of the college of prelates who register papal acts, direct the canonization of saints, etc.

Etymology

med.L protonotarius f. late Gk protonotarios (as PROTO-, NOTARY)