Prī'o-ry, n.

n. [L. Lat. prioria, Fr. prieuré. See PRIOR, n.] A religious house, the head of which was a prior or prioress, and which was in dignity below an abbey.

☞ Of such houses there were two sorts: one, where the prior was chosen by the inmates, and governed as independently as an abbot in an abbey; the other, where the priory was subordinate to an abbey, and the prior was placed or displaced at the will of the abbot.

Alien priory, a small religious house in some country, dependent on a large monastery in some other country.

Synonyms— See CONVENT.