‖ comitia, n. pl.
(kəˈmɪʃɪə)
[L., pl. of comitium assembly, place of assembly, f. com- together + -itium going: cf. ex-itium out-going, in-itium entrance.]
1. Roman Antiq. An assembly of the Roman people convened for the purpose of electing magistrates and passing laws. Formerly comices.
| 1734 tr. Rollin's Anc. Hist. (1827) IX. xx. 54 The comitia or assemblies for the election of consuls at Rome. 1838–43 Arnold Hist. Rome II. xxv. 9 To hold the comitia. |
2. transf. and gen. An assembly. rare.
| 1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. v. i, No rogue, at a comitia of the canters. 1861 Pearson Early & Mid. Ages Eng. 62 The Saxon..attending the gemot or comitia of his tribe. |
3. A name formerly given at Oxford to the principal assemblage during the Act, at which public Disputations took place, and degrees were conferred; now the Encænia.
It took place on the Monday after Act Sunday.
| 1714 Ayliffe Univ. Oxf. (1723) II. ii. i. 132 On Sunday, between the Vespers and Comitia (for so are the Exercises of Saturday and Monday stiled) there are two sermons in the English Tongue. Ibid. The Senior Proctor (who in respect of the Artists Inceptors, is called Father of the Comitia). Ibid. 133 On Tuesday, after the Comitia, a Latin Sermon is preached..in St. Mary's Church. |
4. An administrative assembly or meeting of the Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
| 1684 C. Goodall ‘College's Proc. against Empiricks’ (Ep. Ded.) f. 15, in R. Coll. Physicians Lond. ii, The College had that sense of their great obligations to this..Benefactour, that..the following Decree was made in their publick Comitia. a 1749 W. Stukeley in Gentl. Mag. (1788) LVIII. i. 120/1, I assisted, Sept. 30, 1729, at the Michaelmas Comitia of the College, at choice of President, Censors, and other officers. 1861 W. Munk Roll R. Coll. Physicians of London I. p. v, At the Comitia Majora Ordinaria of the 22nd December, 1860, it was ordered to be printed at the expense of the College. 1964 G. Clark Hist. R. Coll. Physicians of London I. vi. 94 To pass a statute there must be at two separate comitia a two thirds majority, or, if fewer than six were present, a simple majority. |