indult
Very LowFormal, Historical, Ecclesiastical
Definition
Meaning
A licence or permission granted by the Roman Catholic Church, especially to do something otherwise prohibited by canon law.
A special permission or privilege granted by a competent authority; historically, an ecclesiastical grant dispensation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Highly specific term primarily used within a historical, legal, or ecclesiastical context. Often pertains to canon law and papal privileges.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The term is equally rare and specialized in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral, academic, or historical/ecclesiastical.
Frequency
Extremely rare in common speech. Encountered almost exclusively in historical, theological, or canon law texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to grant an indult (to someone)to receive an indult (for something)to apply for an indultVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, theological, or canon law studies to discuss papal permissions.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
A precise term in canon law and church history.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- No standard verb form.
American English
- No standard verb form.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverb form.
American English
- No standard adverb form.
adjective
British English
- The indulted practice was allowed to continue for a decade.
American English
- The indulted permission was specific to that diocese.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Too rare for A2)
- The priest needed special permission to perform the ceremony. (Simplified paraphrase)
- The historian explained that a papal indult was required for that medieval monastic practice.
- The scholar's paper analysed how the granting of an indult could circumvent specific provisions of canon law in the 16th century.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an INdividual receiving a resULT (permission): An INDULT is a special result or permission granted to an individual by an authority.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERMISSION IS A KEY; AN INDULT IS A MASTER KEY GRANTED BY THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation. It is not a general 'разрешение' but a specific canonical term. Closer to 'церковная диспенсация' or 'папское разрешение'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a synonym for a simple 'permit'. Confusing it with 'indict'. Pronouncing it as /ɪnˈdʌlt/ (stress on second syllable).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'indult' most precisely used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very rare and specialised term used almost exclusively in historical or ecclesiastical contexts.
While its core meaning is ecclesiastical, it can be used metaphorically or historically to mean any special privilege granted by an authority, but this is exceptionally rare.
In canon law, they are closely related. An indult often refers to the document or specific grant of permission, while a dispensation is the act of relaxing a specific law in a particular case. They are frequently used interchangeably.
The stress is on the first syllable: IN-dult. In British English, it rhymes with 'result'. In American English, the second syllable sounds like 'dult' as in 'adult' (with a schwa).