dominical
nounEtymology
Inherited from Middle English dominical (“(adjective) of or pertaining to the Lord’s day or Sunday; (noun) a book containing the liturgy for Sunday (?)”), borrowed from Medieval Latin dominicālis (“of or pertaining to Sunday, dominical”), from Latin dominicus (“of or belonging to a lord or master; (Ecclesiastical Latin) God’s, the Lord’s”) (compare diēs Dominicus (“the day of the Lord, Sunday”)) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship). Dominicus is derived from dominus (“lord, master”) (used in Latin versions of the Bible to translate titles of the God of the Hebrew Tanakh and Greek New Testament; probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dem- (“to arrange, put together; to build (up)”)) + -icus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives). Adjective senses 3.1 (“of printed text: in a large size”) and 3.2 (“red, ruddy”) refer to the practice of printing dominical letters in a large size, or in red. Cognates * French dominical
Christianity A person who keeps Sunday as a day of rest, but does not regard it as representing the Sabbath of the Old Testament of the Bible.
- So far, therefore, the dominical and Sabbatarian are at one; save that the ground of exemption, in exceptional cases, which the dominical seeks to establish by general reasonings of his own, the Sabbatarian finds established to his hand by the words of Christ. It is true that the dominical may differ from the Sabbatarian on the question, What is a real case of "necessity and mercy," such as will justify a departure from the letter of the law? But so may a Sabbatarian differ from a Sabbatarian. So may a dominical from a dominical: […]1863 January, “Art. IV.—Theories of the Lord’s Day—Dominical and Sabbatarian. […]”, in The British and Foreign Evangelical Review, volume XII, number XLIII, London: James Nisbet & Co., […]; Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd, →OCLC, page 107:
Christianity UK, Historical A payment legally due from a parishioner to the parish, because the parishioner's house was built on land, ownership of which would have originally obliged the landowner to pay a tithe to the parish.
- Mr. Moore, in opening his case, stated that a custom obtained in this city [Exeter] of paying an annual amount of 4s. 8d. to the officiating clergyman of different parishes, which was termed dominicals. […] [T]he custom had existed for a long while in the parish of paying these dominicals, which might be taken in light of personal tithes, payable on land covered by houses.1838 June 9, The Western Luminary, quotee, “Events of the Month. [Dominicals.—Interesting Case.]”, in The British Magazine, and Monthly Register of Religious and Ecclesiastical Information, Parochial History, and Documents Respecting the State of the Poor, Progress of Education, &c., volume XIV, London: J. G. & F. Rivington, […]; J. Turrill, […], and T. Clerc Smith, […], published 1 August 1838, →OCLC, page 234, column 1:
- [D]ominicals, as I understood, were payments in the nature of tithes, in respect of houses built upon land originally subject to tithe, which view was supported by the fact that in some of the parishes in the city both tithes and dominicals were payable, but in no instance that I was aware of was the same property subject to both.1874 June 6, “Reg. v. Sandford”, in Edward William Cox, editor, Reports of All the Cases Decided by All the Superior Courts Relating to Magistrates, Municipal, and Parochial Law. […], volume IX, London: “Law Times” Office, […], published 1877, →OCLC, page 65, column 1:
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- A largely attended meeting was held on Friday night in Exeter, to protest against the custom of levying dominicals, which is being enforced in several parishes in the city. It seems that London, York, and Exeter are the only three cities in which the custom exists.1874 September 7, “The levying of dominicals”, in The Daily News, number 8,851, London: William King Hales, →OCLC, page 7, column 4:
Christianity Obsolete The Lord's Day; Sunday.
- The Goſpels appointed by the Church for the three other Dominicals, or Lords Days in Advent, refer to the firſt manner of his [Jesus's] coming, to vvit, in humility to viſit and redeem his people.1630 December 8 (Gregorian calendar), Thomas Jackson, “A Sermon, or Postill; Preached in Newcastle upon Tine, the Second Sunday in Advent, 1630”, in The Works of the Reverend and Learned Divine Thomas Jackson, D.D. […], London: […] J. Macock, for John Martyn, Richard Chiswell, and Joseph Clarke, […], published 1673, →OCLC, tome II, book VI, page 386:
- The Lutherans retain the cuſtom of Preaching upon the Dominicals.1664, Robert Seppens, “How It was Managed in the Ancient Church”, in Rex Theologus. The Preachers Guard and Guide in the Didactical Part of His Duty. […], London: […] R[ichard] Royston, […], →OCLC, page 33:
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- Many of the Collects, Epiſtles, and Goſpels for the Dominicals, and Feſtivals may be reduced to this Creed, and may ſerve for a clear explication of it.1672, Tho[mas] Elborow, “The Order for the Visitation of the Sick. [The Apostles Creed, or Rule of Faith. 10th. 11th. 12th. Article.]”, in An Exposition upon the Latter Part of the Common-Prayer-Book. […], London: […] J. W. for Joseph Clark, →OCLC, page 29:
Christianity Abbreviation, Ellipsis, Obsolete Ellipsis of dominical letter.
- Let me not die your debtor, / My red Dominicall, my golden letter, / O that your face vvere not ſo full of Oes.c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
- If Gregory [i.e., Pope Gregory XIII] in the caſtigation of the Julian year had throvvn out only 7 days or a VVeek, the Dominicals of the Gregorian had been ſtill the ſame vvith the Julian; but in regard that he lop'd off ten, vvhich is three above ſeven, vve muſt take three Letters of the Julian Dominical to make it Gregorian.1704, [William] Beveridge, “Additions to the foregoing Chapter Collected from Dr. Beveridge’s Institutiones Chronologicæ”, in Giles Strauchius [i.e., Aegidius Strauch II], translated by Richard Sault, Breviarium Chronologicum. Or A Treatise Describing the Terms and Most Celebrated Characters, Periods and Epocha’s Used in Chronology. […], 2nd edition, London: […] A. Bosville […], →OCLC, § 6, page 92:
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- [In] the year 1771, the Dominical is F and the Prime 5[.]1770, Samuel Fuller (of Dublin), A Mathematical Miscellany, 3rd edition, page 168: